Tender is the Night
by A Sideways Smile
Summary: Growing up with a gang of boys has made Ellie O'Hare tough, cool and calm, but no one will give her the benefit of the doubt. Changes ensue and trouble with Socs, boyfriends and tensions within the gang may cause her to lose her cool and her sanity.
1. In My Head

Disclaimer: We do not own _The Outsiders_ by S.E. Hinton, nor do we own "In My Head" by Anna Nalick.

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__Under the weight of your wings  
__You are a god, and whatever I want you to be,  
__And I wonder if truly you are  
__Nearly as beautiful as I believe._

The sun was setting behind them as they walked home from the movies. They followed their shadows as they faded in the disappearing light until they were only visible under the harsh yellow glow of the streetlights. She wore a thoughtful smile on her face, and he wasn't sure if she was thinking about the movie they had just seen, or the one that was coming.

"I'm thinking of a man," she chimed, looking at him.

Not missing a beat, he replied, "Singer?"

"Nope."

"Actor?"

"Nope."

"Character then," he said confidently, narrowing it down.

"Yup," she confirmed, flashing him a grin.

"Rick Blaine," he answered, matter-of-factly.

She laughed at the confidence in his voice and on his brow. He was cocking an eyebrow so terribly she couldn't help but give him a playful shove to knock the look off of his face.

"What?" he asked, a chuckle in his voice.

"You're wrong!" she exclaimed. "Strike one."

"Is it someone from _Casablanca?_" he asked her, turning to face her as he walked backwards.

"You can't ask that," she told him, not trying to stifle her giggles as he tripped over a crack in the sidewalk.

"I can too. Rules are yes and no questions only. And asking if it's someone from _Casablanca_ is a yes or no question." He held her faux glare for a couple of seconds before cracking a grin that made her roll her eyes as she grinned back. "So, _yes or no_, is it someone from _Casablanca_?"

"No," she emphasized.

"It's someone from _Gone with the Wind_ then," he said knowingly.

Nodding, she couldn't hide her smile. "Yeah."

He stopped suddenly, knowing he had it. "Scarlett O'Hara."

"I said it was a man," she laughed as she placed her hands on his shoulders and shoved him on his way.

"Oh, you did, didn't you?" he chuckled, falling into place beside her again.

"Yep an' that's strike _two_. Cuttin' it a little close this time, huh?" she sassed.

"You know me," he said. "I'm holdin' out for that dramatic endin'."

"Uh huh," she replied sarcastically. "Okay Mr. Dramatic Endin', you got one guess left. Can you do it? Or is it gonna be a _sad_ endin' this time?"

"I got two words for you," he told her.

"An' what are those?"

"Rhett. Butler."

She punched him playfully in the shoulder. "How do you always do that?"

"You do it too!" he exclaimed, giving her a little shove back.

"I'm gonna stump ya one of these days," she said, her eyes narrowed and her finger pointing in his face. "I'm gonna."

"Maybe you shouldn't be so obvious," he accused her.

"I ain't that obvious," she retorted. "You're the one that needs to work on that."

"Right," he drawled, walking backwards in front of her again. He pressed his palms to his cheeks and acted out the scene from the movie house just a couple hours earlier. "'Oh my gosh! _Gone with the Wind_ is coming. I don't think I can wait a _whole _month! I can't do it!'"

"I didn't do that," she defended, trying to step on his feet as he walked.

"You did, too."

"Na uh," she replied as she started laughing at him. "You better start payin' attention there, or you're never gonna get home."

He stopped and looked over at the chain-linked fence that ran along beside him. He'd walked past the gate entirely.

"It's a good thing you're here then. I'm surprised you was payin' attention with all that swoonin' you was doin' over Rhett Butler," he shot at her, walking toward the gate.

"Yeah well, I get to swoon over him. You think its bad now, wait 'til we get to see it!" she told him, her eyes glittering with anticipation.

They walked up the steps together, and as he pulled the screen door open for her, he said sarcastically, "Too bad I gotta wait a whole month for that."

She shot him an angry look, but her eyes told a different story. There was an obvious smile in them.

"Pony! El-la!" Two-Bit chanted as they walked into the kitchen together.

"How was the movie?" Darry asked after shutting the icebox, a bottle of Pepsi in hand.

"It was really good," Ellie replied, cocking her head and staring at Two-Bit and Soda who had playing cards stuck to their foreheads. "_What_ are you two doin'?"

Soda was leaning back in his chair, arms crossed over his chest and grinning crazily at Two-Bit who was leaning into the table and grinning back.

"We're seein' who can keep the card on their forehead the longest," Soda explained, not moving his head to look at her.

"Johnny an' I got peanuts on Soda here," Steve added. "But Dal thinks that Two-Bit's gonna pull it off."

"Actually, I don't really give a shit," Dally corrected, blowing smoke rings in Ellie's direction.

She pulled her hair back into a ponytail and sat down across from Steve.

"So does that mean we can't play nothin' 'til one of 'em loses the card off of their forehead?" she asked, scooting over so Pony could fit a chair in beside her.

"Depends on what cards they have stuck on their foreheads," Darry said, reaching across and grabbing both cards from their heads.

"Heeey!" Two-Bit whined. "I was gonna win!"

"You wish, Two-Bit. You was tryin' to keep your card up with your nose," Soda informed him.

Darry flipped the cards around showing the Ace of Hearts and a four of Spades. "We could have lived without the four, but not so much without the Ace."

Steve caught the cards Darry slid across the table and shuffled them into the deck with expertise, dealing out hands with the same amount of skill.

_Fall away to the sound  
__Of my heart to your beat._

"Two-Bit, I'm gonna beat your head in," Dally growled angrily as he kicked his chair which had inched closer and closer to him with every hand. This time, he'd caught him looking.

"Does it matter, Dal?" Ellie chipped in. He glared at her. "You hardly have anything left to bet."

"Maybe you oughta share some of yours," he appraised, nodding toward the mountain of peanuts she had amassed.

She cocked a suspicious eyebrow and rested her arms over her winnings. "You can have 'em if you can win 'em. 'Cause I ain't sharin'."

"I don't think you have to worry 'bout Dal here, El," Steve added. She narrowed her eyes at him and his own mountain of peanuts before him. "I'm gonna take care of him an' then I'm movin' on to you."

"You can try, but you ain't gonna win," she told him as Pony shuffled the cards beside her.

"You gonna let a girl beat ya, Stevie?" Two-Bit asked. "'Cause she's beatin' everybody else."

"Speakin' of girls. Dal, you back with Sylvia again?" Soda asked, noticing his ring was absent from his finger.

"Yeah, she came crawlin' back the other night," he confirmed, his tone bored.

"An' you picked her back up?" Steve asked, disgust in his tone.

"A broad like that? You'd pick her back up too," he replied, a smirk crossing his lips

"She that good?" Two-Bit asked, wiggling his eyebrows. "'Cause she seems mean enough to eat her own youngin'."

"I like her when she's mean. She's wild when she's mean," Dally added, watching Ellie turn bright red as she shifted in her seat.

"Uh, guys, please. I don' wanna hear about this," Ellie begged, studying her cards. She hated when they had these bull sessions in front of her. They enjoyed embarrassing her way too much. "Can't y'all wait 'til I'm not here?"

Dally grinned wolfishly and kept going long enough to make Ellie blush furiously.

"You're a little red there, El," Soda laughed, reaching across and ruffling her hair.

She batted his hand away and caught how red Pony and Johnny were as well. Soda was still grinning at her and Two-Bit was nudging her in the ribs, a grin on his face stretching from ear-to-ear. With that sort of pressure, she couldn't help the smile that spread across her lips. She couldn't help the roll of her eyes either.

"Speakin' of that broad," Dally drawled, pushing the last of his peanuts into the pot and scooting his chair out and walking around the table, stopping behind Ellie. Tugging on her ponytail as he announced, "I think I'll go see and how much I can piss her off tonight."

"Please go so I don' gotta hear 'bout it no more," Ellie begged, shrugging him away.

"Na, you jus' get to hear about it tomorrow," he whispered in her ear suggestively. She nudged him away with her elbow, and he gave one last tug on her ponytail as he sauntered out of the kitchen. "See y'all later."

"See ya, Dal. Stay outta trouble now," Two-Bit called after him.

"You know me," he called back as the screen door slammed after him.

_Melancholy and cool,  
__Kind of bittersweet._

"Yer bet, El," Steve said impatiently, tapping his cards on the table to hurry her up.

The game had wound down to only the two of them. Ellie had the majority of peanuts, but Steve's pile wasn't slacking. They sat across from one another at the table, staring each other down, crowded by the others watching from various vantage points in the kitchen.

"Man, Pony," Two-Bit complained from his seat on the counter. "How's come you had to meet Ellie in the first place? 'F you hadn't never met her, my ego wouldn't be hurtin' so bad right about now."

Pony shrugged, grinning at Ellie, who stopped contemplating her bet long enough to glare at Two-Bit. "Can't help it if she was the only one not laughin' at my name."

He mussed up Pony's carefully greased hair. "Prob'ly soc kids, huh? Still shouldn'ta brought home a _girl_ though."

"Five," Ellie finally stated, throwing five peanuts into the pot. As Steve eyeballed her and called her bet, she glanced back at Two-Bit. "Whether it was me or somebody else Pony invited home in grade school, you'd still be nursin' a bruised ego." Two-Bit simply winked at her.

Ellie traded two of her cards for two new ones and Steve did the same.

"Five more," she said.

Steve set his cards down and leaned back in his chair.

"Stevie's going all in," Soda said his eyes dancing with excitement.

Darry studied Ellie's face; she looked pretty confident to him. "You sure you wanna do that?"

Steve nodded at him, a confident smirk of his own on his face. "Sure do," he said, shoving his entire pile of peanuts into the pot.

Pony stood against the sink and watched Ellie's face. She didn't flinch at his bet, but she didn't call or fold right away. Pony could tell by the way she tried to hide her smile that she had something good.

"Steve," Two-Bit warned seriously, "Hope you know what you're doin', buddy. Don't let a girl beat us all."

"What's it matter if I beat him?" she asked, grinning over her cards at Two-Bit.

Johnny nudged him, a quiet smirk playing on his own lips. "Sure, since she already beat you?"

Two-Bit cocked his eyebrow at him as Pony added, tossing a potato chip in his direction, "Yeah, I think you were the first one she took out of the game. Ain't that right?"

He sighed, exasperated, tossing the chip back at Pony. "So what? It's the principle of the matter. We can't let a girl beat _all _of us, can we?"

Ellie smiled at him from across the table as she called Steve's bet. "Actually," she answered, "I think you can. Won't be the first time, either, an' you know it."

"You're sure you wanna to do that?" Steve asked seriously, studying the mound of peanuts she had pushed to the center of the table to match his bet. "I wouldn't want you to lose like this."

"Thanks for the compassion, Stevie," she cooed. "But I think I'll be okay."

Ellie laid her cards on the table for the guys to see, a proud smile on her face.

"A full house," Darry appraised. "Steve?"

Steve groaned, tossing his cards down. "Shit."

"Don't look like a three-of-a-kind is gonna to do it there," Darry laughed.

"Aw, Steve!" Two-Bit moaned. "She ain't never gonna let us live this down!"

She raked in her winnings, smiling sweetly over Steve's shoulder at Two-Bit. "'Course I won't."

Darry clapped her on the back, an amused smile on his face. "Shoulda been more careful, Steve."

"I can't believe you beat me," he said mockingly.

Ellie tossed a peanut across the table, hitting Steve square on the forehead.

"What's this? A pity peanut?" he asked, reaching on to his lap and holding up the nut. "Gee, thanks, Ellie."

"No problem, Stevie," she replied, standing up and stretching. "I oughta go. Gotta work in the mornin'." She winked at Steve. "Thanks for the game, guys."

"Yeah, yeah," Two-Bit teased, giving her a playful shove as he followed the others to the front door.

"El, you wanna go see a movie after you get off work tomorrow?" Pony asked.

"Sure." She thought for a moment. "_Casablanca_?"

Pony laughed. "What else?"

Steve looked between the two of them. "Ain't that what you_ just_ saw tonight? School starts in jus' a couple days an' that's how you're gonna spend the rest of your vacation? In a moviehouse?"

"Why do you care? You ain't invited anyway," she sassed, giving him a shove out the door. "See ya tomorrow, Ponyboy."

Steve and Ellie stepped out onto the sidewalk, and she called down the street to Two-Bit and Johnny as they headed home. "Y'all want a rematch tomorrow night?"

Two-Bit turned around, walking backwards beside Johnny. Even from that far away, Ellie could make out the grin on his face. "Naw, kid. Gettin' beat once by a hustler like you's 'bout all my ego can take."

Ellie laughed back at him. "I ain't a hustler. You jus' don't wanna admit you can't bluff your way out of a bad hand."

"You know it, kid," Two-Bit called as they both waved over their shoulders and turned the corner.

Cutting through lawns, Ellie grabbed at Steve's arm to slow him down as she was struggling to meet his single stride with two of her own. "Jeez Steve, what are ya tryin' to do? Win a race here?"

"Hey," he joked, "you kicked my ass at poker, I gotta win somethin'."

"I'll let ya arm wrestle me tomorrow. I'm pretty sure I can't win that," she suggested.

"Well, yeah," he laughed, swiping a hand through the air over her head, which hardly reached to his shoulder. "You coulda had me at that if you woulda grown a bit more."

"Yeah, yeah," she grumbled, "But you can't hold that against me."

"Guess not," he replied, looking up at her house as they crossed over to Boston Street. He noticed the lights were off and said, "Guess you don't gotta climb through the window tonight."

"Nope," she sighed, relieved her mom and stepdad were out for the night.

Walking up to the worn-down, one-story house that stood before them, matching the rest of the dilapidated houses on their block, he asked, "How's Jimmy been since they got married?"

Ellie shrugged. Jimmy and Abigail had finally run off and gotten hitched at City Hall after he had spent the better part of a year bumming around their house. He wasn't much different than any of Abby's other boyfriends had ever been: lazy, drunk, hardly able to hold down much of a job, and never too pleased to learn of her teenage daughter. Jimmy had been a little different though; he stuck around, much to Ellie's chagrin.

"He's been all right." Steve heard her laugh softly, almost bitterly, in the night. "Been too poor to buy much booze lately, so that's prob'ly why." He nodded; he could understand that. At least being poor was good for one thing: sobering up his own father.

A smile spread across her lips as she turned to him and smacked him in the shoulder. "I still can't believe you lost to a girl."

Steve looked down at her, a faux glare on his face. "Are ya Two-Bit now?"

"Na," she negated, pushing the front door open. "I'm jus' the girl who beat ya, 's all."

"You better watch it or next time you'll be the one with the pity peanut," he warned, backing up toward the sidewalk.

"Oh, I'm scared," she mocked.

"You should be," he called back. Giving her a wave, he walked down the street toward his own house. "See ya in the mornin'."

"Night," she called after him. She closed the door behind her, standing in the dark for a moment, enjoying the rare silence of her home.

_In my head, your voice  
__You've got all that I need and this make believe  
__Will get me through another lonely night._

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Comments and reviews are very much appreciated! 


	2. The Young and the Hopeless

Disclaimer: We do not own _The Outsiders_ by S.E. Hinton, or "The Young and the Hopeless" by Good Charlotte.

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__Hard days made me,  
__Hard nights shaped me.  
__I don't know how they  
__Somehow saved me._

Outside, Will Rogers High was overflowing with teenagers piling out of cars and tires screeching in and out of the parking lot. Ellie took a deep breath. After brushing off all of the horror stories Two-Bit and Steve had told them to make them more nervous than they already were, she suddenly wished she had paid closer attention. It was going to be everything they warned them about, if not more. She glanced to her side. Ponyboy looked a couple shades paler than he had earlier.

Climbing out of Two-Bit's old, rusty car, she adjusted the notebooks in her arms, trying to take in everything all at once.

"Now, the bathrooms on the first floor are for all us greasers," Two-Bit rambled on, ignorant to the nervous silence that had suddenly taken over his younger friends. "Socs' have claim on the ones upstairs. An' while I'm thinking about upstairs, you gotta be careful. They think they own the whole second floor. Got any classes up there?"

Pony shook his head as Ellie fumbled with her schedule. "One. History."

"Who's the teacher?" Steve asked, patting a couple greasers on the back as he past a group of them.

"Leery," she replied, watching everyone shove everyone else out of the way.

He chuckled knowingly. "Good luck with that one. He don't like the greasers much at all. Or maybe it was just me."

Ellie nodded, not cracking a smile. It wasn't the first time she had been warned about Leery. Her mother had nothing good to say about him either, and Ellie was nervous enough as it was without Steve's input.

Two-Bit continued on with his speech. "Now, steer clear of Newsome. He's the gym teacher, and he hates most everybody who ain't on the football team."

Pony laughed. "Even you, Two-Bit?"

He clapped him on the back. "Nobody hates me, kid. Watch this."

Two-Bit walked up to a group of socs crowded around a brand new, cherry red Mustang. Placing his hands on a couple of their shoulders, he said, "Long time, no see, huh fellas?"

A couple of the boys, realizing it wasn't one of their own greeting them, turned to face him, looking good and ready to pound his face in. However, they were stopped by the warning bell that sounded from the building. Two-Bit reached out to shake their hands, but no one offered their hand back. "All right, fellas," Two-Bit told them happily, a large grin plastered on his face, "you have yourselves a good first day back."

"Get lost, grease," one of them muttered as they headed to the building.

Two-Bit shrugged to Ponyboy, still grinning. "Okay, maybe they hate me."

Stepping through the front doors, Two-Bit and Steve headed to the right as Pony and Ellie walked straight.

"Meet you guys here later an' I'll take you to that little drugstore down the street for lunch," Two-Bit called back to them.

"Don't y'all get in any trouble, you hear?" Steve chimed in, grinning at how nervous both of them looked.

"Yeah, we'll sure try," Pony called after him as he disappeared into the swarms of students. Facing Ellie, he said, "I guess I'll see you in Algebra?"

"See you then," she said, with a forced smile. "I'm gonna go brave the _soc_ hallway. Wish me luck."

"Good luck," he said, patting her on the back. "See you later."

_I won't look down,  
__I won't say I'm sorry._

Ellie pushed her way through the hallways and up the flight of stairs. She couldn't help being overwhelmed by how much taller everyone was than at the middle school. Everything was a lot different, but being no stranger to change, Ellie tried to keep her chin up. It was only high school. Lots of people survived it.

Two-Bit wasn't kidding about the upstairs hallways being soc territory, either. It seemed that everyone she passed was dressed sharply in a rainbow of madras and letterman's jackets, Beatles haircuts and reeking of English Leather.

She did her best to avoid eye contact with any of them, wondering if they really were staring holes into her or if it was only her imagination. She realized it must not have been when she ran into someone who deliberately stepped into her path.

Stepping back, she looked at the sharply dressed blond that was staring daggers at her. She wished she had been paying attention when the name embroidered on his letterman's jacket stared back at her: Michael Holden.

"Look who finally made it to high school," Michael observed dryly, stepping closer and forcing her back into a set of lockers.

She couldn't say anything, not that there was anything she could say. She was stuck between a rock and a hard place and the hallway had thinned out as the bell was close to sounding. The only people who noticed what was going on wore cocky smiles and laughed.

Michael grabbed her by the upper arm, squeezing it tightly and regaining her undivided attention. "Listen up grease. You open your mouth about anything an' I'll beat the shit out of you. You dig?" he threatened barely above a whisper. Her eyes were struggling to stay neutral as she nodded quickly.

The bell rang and he let go, disappearing into a nearby classroom, and Ellie released the breath she had been holding.

"Shit," she uttered before dashing down the empty hallway.

A run in with her cousin wasn't exactly what she needed on her first day at Will Rogers. Nor was being tardy to her first class with a teacher she had already been warned about.

Taking a deep breath, she pushed the door open and walked into the classroom that she immediately noticed was full of socs. She stopped as Mr. Leery looked at her over the rim of his glasses. When she only stood there, he told her coarsely, "Well, don't just stand there. Take a seat."

"Sorry," she muttered over the snickers that had erupted around the room.

The only empty seat in the room was in the center aisle, in the next to last row. Careful to keep her eyes on the chair, she walked down the aisle, ignoring the quips from a fiery red head to a dark haired boy sitting behind her, and stepping over a foot that shot out into the aisle to greet her.

Sitting down, she sunk as low as she could and kept her eyes trained on the chalkboard and Mr. Leery. Two-Bit was going to have a good laugh that she was the only greaser in this class. He might even have the good humor to transfer in to see what kind of trouble he could make.

Mr. Leery was taking attendance, checking off names as students put their hands in the air as he called them. He got to her name and his voice caught a little. Ellie noticed and put her hand up slowly. He looked her over for a couple of seconds before shaking his head slightly and checking her name off.

He was everything her mother warned her about.

_And no one in this industry_  
_Understands the life I lead._

Ellie trudged alongside Pony as they made their way through the crowds to the front doors to meet Steve and Two-Bit for lunch. Algebra had been ten times better than history, except for Rick Bradley, a member of Tim Shepard's gang and Evie's younger brother, who was seated behind her and had a talent for talking shit. She would put up with it though; he was better than a classroom full of socs.

They could make out Steve's scowl between the bobbing heads of the kids in front of them, and she could hear Two-Bit's laughter over all of the other commotion. They had almost made it past the largest group of kids when Ellie was shoved roughly into Ponyboy.

"Watch it, Greaser."

She turned to find Michael, his glare boring into her. "Watch it," he hissed again.

"What was that about?" Pony asked as they neared the other guys. Ellie only shrugged.

"Look's like Ellie made a new friend, huh?" Two-Bit asked loudly, catching a look from Michael as he walked away. "That Paul Holden's little brother?"

"Yeah, I guess so," she muttered. "Can we just hurry up and get something to eat? I can't be late for another class." She pushed through the front door, desperate for fresh air after being suffocated by the pungent scent of the socs' English Leather all morning long.

"Wait, you were late to class?" Steve asked incredulously. "Little Miss Ella was _late_ to class?" He ignored the scowl she was giving him. "Which class?"

"Take a wild guess," she suggested in a bored tone.

He started laughing, and Ellie stopped, putting her hands on her hips. "What's so funny?"

"Leery's? Of all classes, you were late to Leery's?" She continued to give him an angry glare, and he stopped laughing. "Aw, c'mon, El. It's the first day _and _you're a freshman. It ain't a big deal."

"No," she said, sliding into the back seat of the car, "It _is_ a big deal when you're the _only_ greaser in a class full of socs."

"Seriously?" Pony asked, his eyes widening a little. There weren't many greasers in their Algebra class, and he felt that was a nightmare all its own.

"Yeah," she groaned. Two-Bit had a grin as wide and bright as the sun, looking back at her through the rearview mirror. "What?"

"That sure sounds like a lot of fun," he observed.

"I _knew_ you'd think so," she told him, perking up a little bit.

"Who's all in there?" Steve asked her, turning around and facing the backseat.

She shrugged. "I don't know. Typical socs, I guess."

"They ain't so bad when you get to know 'em, though," Two-Bit explained. "They're kinda fun when you can get a rise out of them. Last year I ran into Curly at one of the football games, and we had us a good time lettin' the air out of _all _their tires. You should've seen their faces when they came out after the game and all these cars couldn't go nowhere 'cause all them tires were flat!"

He started laughing so hard Steve had to grab the wheel to keep the car from skipping up onto the sidewalk.

"Two-Bit! Keep your eyes on the road," Steve shouted at him.

"Please," Ellie added. "Unless it means I don't have to go back in there today."

"Oh, El, it ain't that bad. Just don't let them get to you," Steve told her.

"Easy for you to say," she said under her breath, feeling Pony staring at her as she rested her head against the window. They had no idea.

_And if I make it through today,  
__Will tomorrow be the same?_

"How was school?" Darry asked, setting his tool belt on the coffee table. The pathetic looks both Ellie and Ponyboy gave him made him grin. "That good, huh?"

"It was all right," Pony told him unconvincingly, making eye contact with Ellie.

"Sure," Ellie replied, sarcastically. "If you like being shoved all over creation all day long."

"Ol' Will Rogers is still the same, huh?" Dally asked from his place on the couch.

Two-Bit cocked an eyebrow in Dally's direction. "When did you ever go?"

Dally grinned. "I went for a few days."

"It ain't as bad as Ellie says," Two-Bit pitched in. "I don't know why she's so mad. She made herself a new socy friend. A football player, even."

"Sure," she muttered, silently cursing him for bringing it up.

Dally eyed her carefully. "Oh yeah?"

Darry leaned on the wall separating the kitchen from the dining room. "Who is it?"

"You remember Paul Holden?" Two-Bit asked, to which he received a curt nod. "It's his little brother."

"Michael?" Darry asked, looking at Ellie whose face had turned a pale shade of red.

"That'd be him," Two-Bit confirmed. "He an' El get along real fine. It's your typical soc loves greaser, greaser loves soc kind of thing."

"'Cause such a thing exists," Pony piped up, with a little snicker.

Ellie started tossing her things into her bag, tired of the conversation. Standing, she said goodbye to Pony, and headed for the door.

"I'm headin' out," she told them. "I oughta go and rest up so I can hang out with my new socy friends tomorrow."

Two-Bit laughed and Dally stood up, following her out the door. "I'll walk ya home," he announced, nodding over his shoulder as he let the door slam behind him.

She was waiting for him by the gate and fell into step with him as he walked out of the yard and toward her house. They were quiet most of the way, not saying anything until her house came into view. Jimmy's truck was parked in the driveway. Her shoulders slumped slightly, but Dally noticed.

"Wanna take a walk?" he asked, watching the scene through the curtains.

"Yeah," she sighed. She wasn't in the mood to hear anything Jimmy had to say to her tonight.

Their neighborhood was divided a couple of blocks from her house by a little stream that cut through it. There was a little bridge that had been built up as a sort of focal point for a small garden park that had been built years ago. On nights like these, she and Dally would walk there and sometimes stay out late, waiting for her parents to go to bed.

She leaned into the rail, crossing her arms on it and resting her head in them.

"I guess that means it was a pretty rough day, huh kid?" he asked, lighting up two cigarettes. Tapping her arm, he passed it to her. She gladly accepted it, taking a long drag.

"It was all right," she replied flatly.

"What's the deal with this Holden kid?" he questioned, leaning back onto the rail beside her.

"It's nothin'," she said quickly.

She'd answered too fast and with way too much fervor in her tone. He stared at her, but she kept her eyes trained on the water trickling below them. The kid was a good liar, but it takes one to know one, and Dally was a damn good liar.

"Bullshit," he sneered.

"It ain't," she insisted, taking another long drag.

"He's messin' with you." It was a statement, not a question.

"No," she drug out. "I ran into him when I was trying to find one of my classes and all he did was call me 'grease.'" She finally looked up at him. "That's all."

"You're so full of shit," he grimaced, pointing at her arm.

She followed his finger and was surprised at the bruise that had formed there. "Fine, I got shoved into a locker, too. And 'fore you ask, I was late to my first class and Evie Bradley's brother sits behind me in Algebra. Oh, and we had lunch at the drugstore down the street from school. Anything else you want to know about my day?" she asked defensively.

"You just got an answer for everything," he observed, unconvinced. "What kinda locker did you get shoved into to make it bruise all the way around your arm like that?"

"Jesus, Dally. Just drop it," she demanded. It was all she could do to not think about what had happened. She didn't need him to keep bringing it up. If she started telling him what was going on, he would find out a lot of things she, and obviously Michael, didn't want anybody knowing.

Feigning confidence, she said, "If I wanted to fight 'bout something so pointless I would've gone home and fought with Jimmy."

He cursed her stubbornness under his breath and looked back at her again. "You better fuckin' tell one of us if anyone starts shit with you," he told her, fire spitting from every word.

"Fine," she said sharply. "I don't know why you have to make this to be such a big deal when _nothing_ happened. Give it a rest already."

She rested her head back on the railing, wishing this conversation would just end. He did this to her all the time, always blowing things out of proportion when it came to people messing with her. He wasn't the only one though; Steve was just as bad. They acted as though she couldn't handle things that came her way, and though she would be the first to admit she needed them around, she got tired of them treating her like she was helpless.

"I'm serious, El," he told her again; talking down to her like she was stupid.

"Dal," she pleaded through an exasperated sigh. She lowered herself to the ground, hanging her legs over the edge, and resting her face in her hands. It was all she could do to not worry about Michael herself; she didn't need Dally looking over her shoulder, making things worse. "I know you are, but please just drop it."

"Yeah, whatever you say, kid," he said, pissed off.

They were quiet for a few minutes, letting the fight settle as the night wore on. He nudged her leg with his boot and she looked up at him.

"What?" she asked, the edge still riding on her tone, though wearing thin.

"Let's go," he said, reaching a hand out and pulling her roughly to her feet.

They walked back to her house in silence. He was still angry with her, but she wasn't willing to do anything to change that. There were too many people that went out of their way to not piss him off, but she rarely did. He could be mad; she didn't care. He wouldn't, however, knock her head off of her shoulders for mouthing off to him, so she guessed she understood.

"Guess I'm climbin' through the window tonight," she sighed.

"Guess so," he replied, walking over and sliding the window open for her.

Light was still beaming through the front windows of her house, a lone shadow moving about behind the curtains. He wasn't so bad, most of the time, but there had been nights she would come home and be drug into the middle of some huge fight between her mother and Jimmy. It almost always involved him being so lazy and drinking their money away. He was one of the reasons Ellie got a job when she did. It kept her mother from having to support all three of them on her own.

He had never hurt her, but Ellie was afraid he would at some point. He had an explosive temper, and he liked the bottle a little too much. Jimmy already hated her enough to talk shit to her, and she was just waiting for the day he felt enough like a father to her to justify slapping her around. So for that, she kept climbing in and out of her bedroom window, avoiding him as much as she possibly could.

She hoisted herself up, and Dally steadied her when she lost her balance and almost sprawled through headfirst.

"Christ, you're so fuckin' graceful," he mocked as she stumbled through the rest of the way.

"Thanks," she grumbled. He had a stupid, smug grin on his face that caused a smile to tug at her lips.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Miss Priss." He gave a quick tug on her hair as he turned to leave. "An' if anyone messes with you tomorrow, I'll beat the shit out of 'em."

"Right," she said softly as she slid the window closed.

Falling backwards onto her bed, she rested her arms over her face, soon trading those for a pillow as Jimmy started up again. It was the perfect ending to a lousy day, and Ellie wished she would suffocate under the pillow so she didn't have to go to school the next morning.

_And if I stumble and I fall,  
__Should I get up and carry on?  
__Will it all just be the same,  
_'_Cause I'm young and I'm hopeless?_

* * *

Well, there's chapter two!


	3. Me Against the World

Disclaimer: We don't own _The Outsiders_ by S.E. Hinton or "Me Against the World" by Simple Plan.

* * *

_They're taking our dream  
__And they tear them apart  
__'til everyone's the same._

The bell finally rang, and Ellie gathered her books, standing to leave with everyone else.

"Miss O'Hare, please hang around a minute," Mr. Leery asked her as all the other students hastily made their way to the door

"Way to go, Grease," the boy who sat behind her appraised haughtily, laughing with the others as he left.

With nervous steps, Ellie walked up to Mr. Leery's desk. He stared patiently at her over the rim of his glasses.

"This was the fifth class in a row you were late for, Miss O'Hare," he told her plainly.

Though it was useless to explain, she tried anyway. "I know, Mr. Leery, but it's not my fault."

He was leaning far back in his chair, chewing on a pen cap and still looking over those awful glasses. "Whose fault is it?" he asked skeptically.

She bit her lip, knowing full well she couldn't just blame this on Michael, so she did her best to make up something believable. She knew it wouldn't matter though, Leery already had his mind made up about her.

"I get a ride here with my friends, and it's not always that easy to make it up here in time," she reasoned. "I haven't been late everyday, though."

Giving her a look, he leaned forward and looked at his class roster. "No, but of the few weeks you've been in school, you've been late several times, including the last _five_ school days."

"I'm trying Mr. Leery, I really am. But like I said, I have to rely on others for a ride," she explained, trying to keep her tone neutral despite her mounting frustration.

"Well, tell them they have to leave earlier so you can get here," he suggested.

She could do that, but getting to school on time wasn't the problem. Two-Bit usually did well of getting them there with time to spare. The problem was making it past Michael and which of his friends decided to hassel her.

"It's not that easy," she said quietly, studying her hands and trying to ignore the students walking in for the next class.

"Well, I'm sure you know the rules then, " he said, ripping a slip of paper from a pad on his desk. Handing it to her he said, "I'll see you in detention on Friday."

Taking the slip from him, Ellie stared at it dumbfounded. Two-Bit and Steve were going to have a good laugh about this.

"I can't," she protested, handing the slip back to him. "Not on Friday, anyway."

"If it is interrupting your weekend plans, that's just too bad, Ellie. Two hours is the minimum when you've been late this many times," he told her shrewdly as he pushed her hand away.

"It's not that, I have to work on Friday's after school. I can't be in detention, I have to be at work," she persisted.

He shook his head, "Not this Friday, I'm afraid. You're going to have to work that out with your boss because you are going to be in detention or face a suspension."

Frustration caused her cheeks to flush, and she stared at him, still holding the slip out like he would take it back. "You don't understand. I _have_ to work. It's not like I want to. It's that I have to."

A few people started laughing behind her, and she tried to ignore it.

"Missing just a few hours won't hurt you. School comes before work," he told her, looking over his glasses again. Ellie fought the urge to rip them off of his face and break them in two.

"I can't afford to miss work-" she tried to bargain with him. She really couldn't. Money had been tight lately.

He put his hand up to stop her but not the snickering coming from the third parties. "Ellie, you really don't have a choice here. Just start getting to class on time, and you won't be in this situation again. You're just going to have to be late."

Her mouth fell slightly agape at his hypocrisy. "You want me to be late to work after serving a detention for being late to class?"

He ignored her comment and stated flatly, "You need your mother's signature on this and returned to me by tomorrow. And don't bother forging it," he added, not bothering to lower his voice while the few stragglers in his next class filed in as the bell rang.

"Fine. Can I at least have a pass to my next class since I'm already late?" she demanded angrily.

Holding another sheet of paper up to her, he pulled it back before she had a chance to grab it. "I had her in my class a few years back, you know?"

Ellie sunk back from his desk and stared at some unseen thing between them, not saying anything.

"I'd hate for you to end up like she did. You're a bright kid, but so was she," he told her matter-of-factly. He then added, his lips twisting into a pernicious smile, "Like mother, like daughter, huh?"

Snatching the slip out of his hand, Ellie blasted him, "Right, as though being late to a few classes is going to make me into her. Thanks for reminding me how close to failure I really am."

"Tell your mother I said 'hello,'" he called after her. She could hear the distaste in his voice and everyone else laughing.

She stalked out of the room, pulling the door shut and letting it slam behind her. Frustrated tears stung in her eyes, and she stopped in the nearest bathroom, soc territory or not.

Throwing her books down, Ellie stared at herself in the mirror. She did see her mother, but only in appearance. She had the same short stature, thin frame and sweet-tempered face. Compared to her mother's wild and capricious attitude, Ellie was nothing like her. She was responsible and demure. Abby didn't worry about anything, while Ellie worried about everything.

It hurt that everyone only expected her to fail just like her mom did. It was even worse to see it on their faces that they were constantly comparing the two of them when there was more to contrast than anything.

_Come on and take your shot,  
__You can spit all your insults  
__But nothing you say is going to change us_.

Ellie waited in the hallway for Pony to hand in his quiz after Algebra. She must have had a sour look on her face, because he kept looking across the classroom at her the entire period.

He finally joined her and asked the inevitable. "You okay?"

Shaking her head, yet still trying to hold it high, she told him, "Do you think it's okay for teachers to tell me that I'm no better than my mom?"

Pony furrowed his brow confused. "Who said that?"

"Mr. Leery. He gave me a detention for being late and then basically told me that if I didn't stop being late for class I would end up like her," she spat bitterly.

"He actually said that?" he asked, reading the hurt in her eyes that she would never voice out loud.

"Yeah. I hate how all these teachers remember her. It's like they're just waiting for the day I drop out like she did. It's frustrating," she sighed, spotting Two-Bit and Steve waiting by the front doors like they always did. "Don't tell no one what he said."

Pony nodded, and that was as good as a promise.

"Aw, Ella, why the long face?" Two-Bit asked, forcing a frown on his own face.

"Tell me you have detention on Friday," she begged him.

Two-Bit took an animated step backward, his hand over his heart. "_You_ have detention?"

"What'd you do?" Steve asked, unable to mask his grin.

Punching him in the shoulder she replied, "I was tardy a few times." Turning back to Two-Bit, she asked again, "Are you?"

"Well, lemme check," he opened his notebook and thumbed through the pages as though searching through his agenda. "Well, this Friday I'm not currently scheduled for one, but I think I could squeeze one in just for you."

She laughed in spite of herself. "Thanks, Two-Bit. I'll owe you one."

"No kid, you're gonna owe me two," he joked with a wink.

"Now I just have to figure out how I'm gonna get my mom to sign this without her and Jimmy getting on my case," Ellie added.

Pony gave her a funny look. "Why don't you just sign it for her?" Two-Bit cocked an eyebrow at him, and Pony gave him a sheepish look. "What?"

Two-Bit grinned and swatted at his head. "That was supposed to be my idea."

Ellie shook her head. "No, she's gotta sign it. He already warned me not to forge it."

"Yeah," Steve agreed. "She's right. Leery can spot a phony from a mile away."

"Aw, we'll think of somethin', kid," Two-Bit said, sounding much more optimistic than she felt about it. She had never been in trouble with anything, and though she knew her mom had been in a lot of trouble herself in the past, Ellie couldn't always predict how she would react to things.

Following the guys out into the parking lot, Ellie sighed; it was only a detention, her mom wouldn't care. She knew she was making it out to be a bigger deal than it was, but she still hated to drag her mother into it.

_They love to watch me fall,  
__They think they know it all_.

"Mom?"

Ellie stood at the edge of the kitchen, watching as her mother gathered her things before her late shift at the restaurant.

"What?" she asked curtly, her cigarette bobbing between her lips as she tied her apron around her waist.

"I need you to sign this for me." She produced the slip of paper Leery had so gladly thrust upon her.

Abigail looked at it briefly, a smirk on her face. She knew what it was before even reading it. Lord knew she had plenty of those when she was in high school. "What'd you do?"

"Nothing!" Ellie answered defensively. Abby had a skeptical look on her face.

"I know Will Rogers ain't all that great if you don't have money, but I'm sure they ain't passing out detentions just because they want to," she replied, scrawling her name across the bottom of the slip and sliding it back to her daughter. "It says it's for tardiness."

"Yeah, and did you see who gave it to me?" she asked, holding it back up for her to see. "Leery."

"Can't say I didn't warn you about him," Abigail said. "Why were you late so many times? I thought those friends of yours drove you everyday."

"They do. But I always get held up in the hallways," she explained, as her mom stared at her with a smirk still in her eyes. Ellie sometimes got the feeling her mom liked it when she screwed up just so that she didn't have to feel like the only one that did.

"Maybe you shouldn't be out there flirtin' and go to your classes." She felt her teeth begin to grind as Jimmy walked into the kitchen and pitched in his two cents.

"I'm not," she snapped, wanting to yell back at both of them that she wasn't the one who had a kid at 16. "I always end up runnin' into the same person everyday, no matter which way I go to class," she told her mom, trying to exclude Jimmy from the conversation she didn't want to include him in in the first place.

"And who's that?" Abigail asked as she ground out her cigarette in the ashtray on the counter and grabbed her purse.

Jimmy grabbed a beer from the icebox and headed back into the living room, but not without saying crudely over his shoulder, "Probably some guy she fools around with."

She bit her tounge hard enough to bleed to keep from screaming at him and her mother who was looking at her with her eyebrows raised, waiting on her to confirm Jimmy's thought.

"It's Michael." Abby's eyes clouded up as her eyebrows furrowed. Ellie could tell from her expression that she recognized the name but couldn't place it, so she added, "Holden."

Abby sighed inwardly. Holden wasn't a name she was wanting to hear anytime soon. "Oh," she said dryly as she brushed past her daughter. "Well, you oughta try harder not to run into him."

Ella stared at the front door as it slammed behind her. She could hear the disgust in her mother's voice at the mention of the Holdens, but she couldn't place any sympathy or compassion, something Ellie needed but rarely received from her.

"Detention, huh?" Jimmy asked, turning on the television. "Big fuckin' surprise."

She resisted the urge to tell him to go to hell and headed for her bedroom.

_You can sit there and judge me  
__Say what you want to  
__We'll never let you in._

Ellie stepped through the door, clutching her books to her chest. _Detention_, she thought bitterly. _Great._

She stood, studying the room. In the back were a handful of Shepard's boys, who were making eyes at her. In the front sat only two socs who were glaring in her direction. And in the center of the room, sat a few middle-classers who looked extremely uncomfortable.

"Hey, Grease," growled one of the socs, who she recognized from Mr. Leery's class. Trying to avoid eye contact with him, she stepped further into the room, hoping Two-Bit would show up soon.

As she still searched for a seat, she felt a heavy arm drape across her shoulders. Expecting Two-Bit, she was surprised to find Curly next to her. Trying to resist the urge to shudder, she just tried to pull away from him. The kid hadn't left her alone since the first grade; he never got the clue.

"These boys botherin' you, Ellie?" he drawled, flicking out his switchblade. The soc who had taunted her quieted down and Curly smirked at him. "That's what I thought," he replied coolly, folding his blade and placing it in his back pocket.

"Picking a fight, are we, Mr. Shepard?"

Ellie slid out from under his arm when she recognized Mr. Leery's voice and slinked to the back of the room.

"No, sir," Curly replied innocently, "Just tryin' to make some new friends is all." He punched the soc, friendly, in the arm as if to prove his point but only got a dirty look from both him and Mr. Leery.

Ellie finally sat, with her back to Rick Bradley and the other boys he was sitting with. She could feel him staring at her and making noises trying to get her attention, but she kept her eyes diverted, studying her hands carefully. Even though she wasn't looking, she could also feel Mr. Leery watching her, waiting for her to screw up so he could call her out on it.

"Take a seat," Leery ordered Curly. He gladly took the desk closest to Ellie's.

"It's too bad Timothy dropped out, I could have had both Shepards in detention today," Leery observed dryly.

"Fuck you," Curly mumbled as he flipped Leery the bird when he looked away. Ellie was somewhat relieved to not be the only legacy Leery didn't like.

There was boisterous laughter coming from the hallway, and when Two-Bit ambled through the door, Ellie found it difficult to hide her smile. She was even happier to see Steve walk in behind him.

"Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedules to join us, Mr. Mathews, Mr. Randle," Leery said insipidly.

"Oh, it's no problem at all," Two-Bit assured him as Steve followed him down the aisle. When Leery looked down at the attendance sheet, they both casually knocked a couple books off the socs' desks. They gave them glares but said nothing.

"Get up, Curly," Two-Bit said. "We're sittin' by El."

"Aw, man, there's plenty of seats," he complained, gesturing to the rest of the room.

"So sit in one of 'em," Steve suggested. Curly hesitated, but knowing it was more of an order than a simple recommendation, he finally gave his desk up and took a seat closer to the other boys in his gang.

Steve pulled his desk closer to Ellie's and winked at her. Two-Bit sat behind her and squeezed her shoulders. "Ain't you sorry you've missed out on detention your whole life?"

She couldn't help but smile. Leaning over to Steve, she whispered, "Why're you here?"

He shrugged and leaned back in his seat, lacing his fingers behind his head. "Couldn't miss your first detention, could I?"

Ellie leaned back in her own seat when she noticed Mr. Leery giving her a cold stare before shaking his head and looking back at the papers on the desk. He didn't seem at all surprised by her company. She sank further down in her seat, knowing exactly what he was thinking. It was the same thing he had been thinking when he called her name the first day of school and when he filled out her detention slip. She was well on her way to becoming her mother, and the boys she was hanging out with only perpetuating the O'Hare name.

_I'm a nightmare, a disaster_  
_That's what they always said._  
_I'm a lost cause, not a hero._

* * *

Thanks for all of the comments and reviews! They are much appreciated! 


	4. Tough Guys

**Disclaimer: We do not own _The Outsiders_ by S.E. Hinton or "Tough Guys" by REO Speedwagon.**

* * *

_She doesn't like the tough guys.  
__They think they can do anything they want.  
__But they're gonna get a surprise,  
__When she brings them to their knees._

"So, El, any more detentions?" Soda asked with a grin as he pulled a t-shirt over his head. Ellie had been in a bad mood all week because of her last one.

"None this week, but I sure hope that changes," she replied sarcastically. "They're a real blast."

"See, El?" Two-Bit called from the kitchen, cracking open a beer. "I knew they'd grow on you."

"They better not," Steve cut in, "Because if they do, I'm gonna have to do something about Evie's brother."

"What, is Slick Rick puttin' the moves on our little Ellie?" Soda asked suggestively, trying to make her blush.

"Yeah, and if he don't quit it, I'm gonna have to knock his head offa his shoulders," he replied, pleased he would finally have a reason to take a shot at Rick. They hated each other even before he started dating Evie.

"Rick's the least of my troubles," Ellie muttered.

Soda flopped on the couch next to her, nudging her arm. "Don't look so down, El. Leery'll start picking on somebody else 'fore long. Don't take it so personal."

She just shrugged. Leery, though still a pain, was also further down on her list of worries.

It seemed that no matter how far out of her way she went to avoid Michael, he just gave her even more trouble once he finally found her. It appeared that she was fighting a losing battle, and things were only getting worse.

"You coming to the game with us tonight, Ellie?" Darry asked, stepping out of the bathroom. He had gotten off work early, along with Soda and Steve, to go to the big rivalry game at the high school.

She had successfully talked her way out of the past two games, and she had been trying to come up with a good excuse to not go to this one as well. She didn't feel the need to go out of her way to see Michael, even if he went out of his way for her. Ellie still hadn't found a good reason to miss out on the biggest football game of the season, and the best she could do was simply shake her head. "No, I don't think so."

"How come, Ellie?" Two-Bit asked. He wore a grin on his face. "Don't tell me you and that soc, what's-his-name Holden, broke it off."

"Very funny, Two-Bit," she responded, allowing her irritation to slip into each word.

"He still giving you a hard time?" Darry asked as Dally and Johnny made their way through the front door.

"Who?" Dally butted in.

"Holden," Steve answered for her.

"He's still messing with you?" Dallas asked accusingly. "I told you to tell us, and we'd take care of it."

"He isn't," she retorted sharply.

"Isn't he the one that knocked all your books down the st-?" Pony blurted, shutting up at the glare she was giving him.

After her detention, Two-Bit walked her to class a couple of times. It was amusing to watch Michael's face fall when he realized she had her own escort. It was really funny until he found her in the stairwell after class and decided it would be even funnier to stumble into her. He proceeded to clear her arms of all the notebooks and folders she was carrying, knocking them to the ground, all of her papers fluttering to the floor. By the time she had found all of them, just about every single one of them had nice, muddy footprints stamped all over them because, of course, it had been pouring down rain that morning. She would have kept the incident to herself if Ponyboy hadn't asked her about the size ten shoe design that lay atop her Algebra homework.

"Why're you trying to protect that piece of shit?" Dally admonished.

"I'm not," she asserted coolly. "It's no big deal."

"Sure, like that bruise he left on your arm," Dally declared, a smirk on his lips. He could tell by the way her jaw dropped that it was not a topic she had wanted to discuss with everyone.

"What bruise?" Steve asked, his eyes flashing with sudden rage.

The room had fallen quiet as they waited for her to respond, even Two-Bit looked ready to hound her about it.

"He didn't put it there," she explained for what felt like the hundredth time. She had lied to Dally about it so many times, she was starting to believe it herself. "I got shoved into a locker and my arm got bruised. It wasn't anything."

"She's full of shit," Dally declared, speaking as though she weren't even there. "It was bruised all the way around her arm. A fuckin' locker did that?"

Her eyes narrowed on him and her face was flushed with contempt. "You don't know what the hell you're talkin' about, Dally," she hissed. "I told you it was nothing and it's nothing."

"Is that why you don't want to go to the game?" Soda asked, questioning out of concerned curiosity, not rage for a potential fight. "You've always liked 'em before."

Ellie looked at him and said in a quiet, defeated tone, "I just don't want to go."

"He put anymore bruises on you?" Steve asked, gripping her arm and pushing up her sleeve.

"No," she snapped, wrenching her arm away. "He didn't put the first one on there either."

Pony watched silently from where he sat on the floor. Steve and Dally were on her case, which wasn't exactly something new. Ellie was the closest thing Steve had to a younger sibling, and he took the protective older brother role to heart when it came to her. Pony thought sometimes he took it a little too far, but Ellie never seemed to mind too much.

Then there was Dally. Pony just didn't understand the relationship between the two of them. He was nicer to her than he was a lot of girls, but he was always the first to try to push her buttons and to make her angry. Still, he had done some things around her that were so out of character for Dallas Winston that it often left Pony scratching his head.

He remembered the time Johnny told him how Ellie had come over late one night to crash in the living room. It had been a full house that night, though, with Dally sleeping on the couch and Johnny on the floor. Ellie had resorted to Darry's armchair for the night. Johnny told Pony how he woke up to see Dally tossing the blanket he had been using over her, and taking the old jacket Ellie had been sleeping under.

It was simple and thoughtful and everything Dallas Winston never seemed capable of. Knowing that if Dally knew anyone had been watching, he never would have done it, Johnny only told Pony about it. They both knew that if anyone even implied that Dally had gone out of his way to do something gentleman-like, he would have denied it until he was blue in the face and probably knocked them into next week for suggesting it.

"Shouldn't you guys be going now?" she asked irritably, glaring daggers at Dallas.

Darry had been standing there, listening to the exchange and watching her carefully. He could tell there was more to her story than she was letting on, just like the others suspected. However, he knew as well as she did that she wasn't going to give in and tell them all exactly what had been going on. Not with all of the guys standing there, fists clenched, hungry for a fight.

"She's right. We oughta get going or else we ain't never gonna find a place to park," he said, anxious to go and anxious to get them off of her case. She could usually hold her own, but this whole conversation seemed to really be getting to all of them.

The guys grudgingly rose to their feet, Steve throwing Ellie an angry look before filing out the front door with Two-Bit and a smug Dallas. She would have liked to have knocked that cocky look right off his face for making such a big deal in front of the others, but Soda and Darry were still watching her intently.

"You sure you don't wanna come with us, El?" Soda asked. "It'll be a lotta fun."

She offered a half-hearted smile. "I'm sure, Soda. I'll see you guys later."

Pony sank onto the couch into the seat Soda vacated, and Johnny didn't move from his seat on the arm of the couch.

"You two comin' with us or not?" Darry asked.

"Nah, we'll stay and keep Ellie company," Johnny replied.

"Why don't you guys just go?" Ellie insisted. "You don't wanna miss the big game."

"You ain't getting rid of us that easy," Pony told her with a grin. "'Sides there's supposed to be an awful good detective movie on tonight."

"All right," Darry responded, following Soda outside. "See y'all later."

"You two didn't have to miss the game 'cause of me," Ellie said after the car pulled away from the curb outside.

Ponyboy shrugged. "Steve would've just given me a hard time for tagging along anyway."

Ellie nodded. Boy, did she know what a jerk Steve could be if he didn't get his way. He was just as belligerent as Dallas was when things weren't just the way he expected them. She hated that they always expected her to play the damsel in distress just to fit right into their tough guy image.

"You guys wanna play rummy or something?" Johnny asked, grabbing the deck of cards that sat on the coffee table.

"Sure," Ellie answered as Pony switched on the TV. She just wanted something to get her mind off everything that had just happened.

'_Cause she doesn't like the rough guys,  
__They've got tricks, but my baby got wise._

Darry stood with the crowds as the team from East Central High dejectedly made their way off the Will Rogers' football field. They had beaten the Cardinals 42 to 39 in a close game, and the excitement was pulsating like electricity through the crowds. As the cheering died down, Darry made his way off the bleachers to find the guys, who had all found something better to do than watch the game.

He stepped off the last step, heading to the right where he saw Two-Bit flirting with a very pretty blonde, who seemed to only have eyes for Sodapop.

"Hey, Darrel!"

He looked up to see Paul Holden waving him over. Darry sighed to himself; Paul was the last person he needed to run into after all the talk about Michael. Soda and Two-Bit hadn't seen him yet, so he slowly made his way over to Paul, glancing around for any sign of Steve and Dallas. A fight was something none of them needed tonight, though he knew it was what they all wanted.

"Hey, Paul," he said, shaking his hand over the fence that separated him and the other fans from the track and field. "How's it going?"

"Pretty good," Paul responded. He gestured to the two men standing behind him. "You've met my dad and my uncle before, haven't you?"

"Yeah, I believe so," Darry answered, offering his hand.

"Darrel Curtis," acknowledged the taller man, a grin on his face. He shook his hand vigorously. Darry recognized him as Paul's uncle, Tony, one of the biggest football legends at Will Rogers. "I haven't seen you since the big ceremony they held your and Paul's senior year, dedicating the stadium."

Darry remembered it well. It was their senior year, during the homecoming game when they dedicated the football stadium to their retiring coach. Several football alumni came back for the celebration, everyone making a big fuss over Tony. He had been the star player at his college, and though an injury kept him from playing pro, he was still as good as a celebrity to the kids at the high school.

"Where are you playing ball at now, Darrel?" Tony questioned.

"Afraid I'm not, sir," Darry replied, keeping his tone as neutral as possible. "Some things came up and knocked college out of the picture."

Tony nodded understandingly, his own assumptions crossing his mind but didn't ask any questions.

"Dad, Uncle Tony," Michael called as he jogged up to join them. They all congratulated him on a good game, but he kept his attention focused on the greaser standing in front of him, just like Darry kept his eyes carefully trained on him. "Hello, Darry."

He only nodded his hello back, unable to say anything. He studied him carefully, wondering why Michael thought he was such a big shot. Wondering why it would be okay to pick a fight with a kid, and a girl no less, like Ellie.

Michael said nothing else, and both Tony and their father Frank seemed to notice the tension between the two. Before either of them had a chance to say anything about it, though, Darry was shoved roughly aside as both Dally and Steve, coming out of nowhere, scaled the fence separating the two.

"You sonuvabitch," Dally spat, knocking Michael to the ground, landing a fist directly into his jaw. Michael fell backwards, Dally following him the whole way, swinging punches as Steve took on Paul as he tried to help his brother.

Tony backed up, watching the spectacle as Frank watched in horror, his son's football career flashing before his eyes as some hood attacked him. Darry watched but made no motion to hop over the fence to join the fight or even help break it up.

"Shit," Darry uttered as he watched two police officers along with Newsome and the assistant coach, run up to the fight.

"Break it up!" one of the cops shouted over the din of the growing crowd and the grunts of the boys beating each other bloody. "Winston!"

It took both cops to pull Dally off of Michael and Newsome to pull Steve off of Paul. An amused smile crossed Darry's lips as he watched Michael and Paul pull themselves off of the ground, confusion and embarrassment clouding their faces as they saw the crowd gathered around.

They just had their asses kicked by two greasers, on their own turf no less.

"…the hell?" muttered a soc leaning against the fence, not far from Darry.

"Damn straight! Your football star just got his ass kicked by a hoodlum," Two-Bit laughed at him as they watched the fight being broken up. "Good thing pretty boy can play football, 'cause he can't fight worth a damn."

Dally and Steve were glaring holes through Michael, and Dally shouted at him as the officer drug them away, "You messed with the wrong girl, Holden."

"Stay the fuck away from her," Steve added.

"Steve!" he heard someone call to him from over the fence. He looked back toward the fence to a crying Evie. Soda stood beside both her and the new girl at the school, Sandy, trying to comfort them. "Christ," he muttered seeing the mascara running down her cheeks as he was being escorted out of the stadium.

"You know those boys?" Tony asked Darry, watching as they were hauled away.

Darry looked at Tony, "Yeah."

"What the hell was that about?" he asked, watching Frank frantically check Michael over.

"They're protectin' someone the only way they know how," Darry explained, moving away from the fence. "Good seein' you Tony."

"You too," he muttered, still confused by the whole thing as he walked over and joined his brother and nephews.

_She doesn't like the rough guys,  
__So find someone your own size._

Darry led the way through the front door to find Johnny, Ponyboy, and Ellie lying around the living room watching Johnny Carson's opening monologue.

"Hey, guys," Pony greeted, furrowing his brow when the door shut after only three of them. Ellie glanced over, also looking surprised.

"Where's Steve and Dally?" Johnny asked for both of them.

Soda gave a weak chuckle and fell onto the couch beside Ellie. "Funny story there."

Ellie sat straighter in her seat beside him. "How funny?" she asked skeptically.

"Well, we all thought it was pretty funny," he began, not itching to tell the whole story. "I told you that you should've come to the game. You sure missed out."

"How funny am _I _gonna find this story?" she rephrased, already assuming the worst.

"Not very," Darry told her.

"What happened?" Pony inquired, switching off the television.

"Well, you know Michael Holden, right?" Soda asked.

"What happened?" she pried wearily, having a pretty good idea of the answer if it involved Michael, Dallas, and Steve.

"Dally and Steve took it upon themselves to start a fight with him," Darry answered. "His dad and uncle were there, and let's just say they weren't too happy about it."

She paled a little. "What happened to them?" she asked meekly.

"They got hauled in, but I wouldn't worry about it, El. They won't be at the jail more than a night," Two-Bit confirmed in good humor. "Man, you should have seen some of those socs' faces. That Holden can't fight worth a damn."

Ellie leaned back into the couch, rubbing her eyes with her fingers and trying to fight the sick feeling welling up in her stomach. Everything was such a mess, and now Dally and Steve had just made things even worse without even realizing what they were doing. She cursed them for thinking she was so damn helpless.

"El?" Darry called to her.

"Yeah?" she answered, opening her eyes and looking at him.

"You sure nothin' was going on with him?" he asked, her reactions speaking louder than her words.

She shook her head and lied to them and herself again, picturing Dallas and Steve sitting in a jail cell and Michael with his anger boiling over. She knew he would think she'd told them everything; he would never believe they were just standing up for her.

"It's nothing," she said, the conviction gone from her defense. They all noticed, but no one asked.

She was the only girl in a gang of guys, and Ellie had developed her own defense system around them. Ellie was resilient and could handle what came her way, but she had gotten so used to trying to prove to everyone that she could handle things on her own, that she had forgotten how to ask for help when she needed it.

She knew she needed it now, but she just couldn't find the words.

_She doesn't like the tough guys.  
__She says she's heard enough lies.  
__They think they're full of fire,  
__She thinks they're full of shit._

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Thanks for all of the reviews! 


	5. How Does it Feel?

Disclaimer: We do not own _The Outsiders_ by S.E. Hinton, nor do we own "How Does it Feel?" by Avril Lavigne.

Warning: Violence

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_I'm not afraid of anything,  
__I just need to know that I can breathe.  
__I don't need much of anything,  
__But suddenly, suddenly._

"You've been quiet lately," Abby observed as she steered the car toward Joe's Grocery where Ellie worked.

Ellie shrugged and didn't say anything as she watched houses fly by. Last night had been a disaster. She had been up half the night wishing she had gone to the football game, though that didn't even guarantee that Dally and Steve would have kept from jumping Michael and getting themselves jailed.

"What's up with you?" Abby asked, slightly annoyed with the silence.

Ellie glanced at her mother, studying her for a short moment. She wanted to tell her. Really, she just wanted to tell _someone_ who would understand. Her mom was the only one she could talk to without the rumors flooding the school.

"Tony's in town," Ellie told her, quietly.

She could almost hear her teeth grit with the mention of Tony Holden.

"And why is that?"

"For the game, I think," Ellie replied, staring at her hands. Talking to her mother was never easy, and talking to Abby about her father was near impossible.

"I thought you said you didn't go," she said.

"I didn't, but my friends did." Ellie paused for a second. "What was he like when you were in high school?"

"Tony?"

"Yeah. What'd he do when he found out you were gonna have me?" Ellie asked. "Was he real mean to you?"

Abby bit her lip and pulled the car into the little parking lot behind the grocery store. Putting it into park, she hesitantly turned to her daughter.

"Actually, he was pretty decent to me. For the most part anyway. It was his brother and their daddy that made my life a living hell," she explained. "Don't get me wrong. Tony wasn't a prince by any means. He never had any intention of helping me out, but it was Frank that kept comin' around telling me that I had to stay away or else."

"Or else what?" Ellie asked timidly.

Abby shrugged, brushing loose strands of bleached hair out of her face and looking at herself in the rearview mirror, checking her makeup. "He never said, and I dropped out so they never had to follow through with nothin'."

"You think that if Frank hadn't been around that Tony might have helped you?"

"There ain't a snowball's chance in hell that would have happened. Tony was hard up that no one even knew about us, and Frank was so bad you woulda thought it was his reputation at risk."

"Why did their dad give you a hard time?" Ellie asked, finding it difficult to think of these people as her relatives. Some family she had.

"You mean besides Tony being a few months from graduating, getting' into this mess with a greaser girl?" Ellie simply nodded, trying not to cringe at being referred to as a mess. "Their daddy was the football coach back then. You think Tony's a legend at that school? That whole family's full of football legends 'round here. But I guess gettin' a 16-year-old girl pregnant didn't fit so well into that legend." Abigail glanced at the clock. "What's this about anyway?"

Ellie shrugged. It was about finding out why she wasn't wanted. It was about finding out why people wanted to make her life hell for her mother's mistakes. "Michael's still giving me a hard time," Ellie finally confessed. She wondered how much harder it would become now that Dally had gotten involved.

"He hurtin' you?" she asked, concern edging on her voice. It sounded foreign in her tone.

"He just hassles me, but some things happened last night, and I think he's gonna be pissed off about it all," she explained, not noticing the way she was nervously wringing her hands in her lap.

"What happened?"

Ellie shook her head, shrugging the incident away and pretending it hadn't been eating away at her all night long. "Nothing much, I guess," she responded with faux confidence.

"I can't really do anything but tell you to try and stay away from him. Frank's his daddy and it sounds like he's got his temper," Abby told her.

Ellie listened to her mother's advice but didn't really hear any of it. She had other concerns. "If they were such big shots at school, even then, why did anybody care what they did?"

Abby looked at her like she was stupid. "This soc-grease fight ain't exactly new, you know? It's been goin' on for as long as I can remember. Even back then, greasers weren't good enough to look at those football players. If word got around that _Tony Holden_ got some poor tramp knocked up, that woulda been the end of that Holden name everybody's so crazy to flaunt around." Abby studied her nails as she added, "Forget about me, who's name got drug through the mud because of all of this."

Ellie stared at the dusty dashboard. Even if she had felt that way her entire life, it hurt so much more to hear it from her mother that she was the cause of her burdens.

Abby seemed to catch on to the silence, because she reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind Ellie's ear. "Cheer up, kid. My name wasn't so great before all this either."

Ellie knew coming from her mother that was supposed to be comforting, but it didn't help anything. She remembered the way Abby had jumped at the chance to marry Jimmy, and Ellie knew it had nothing to do with love. Nothing ever did. Jimmy was her opportunity to shrug that name off, to be someone else for the first time in her life, even if she still had to look at her mess every day. Jimmy didn't want to adopt Ellie anymore than she wanted him too. For that, Ellie kept her mother's maiden name as well as the history that came with it.

"You got a ride home?" Abby called to her as she pushed the door open to leave.

Ellie nodded and shut the door. She didn't, but she wasn't in the mood for questions, nor was she in the mood for being a burden to anyone else at the moment.

_I am small, and the world is big,  
__All around me is fast moving._

Working was usually good at keeping her mind occupied, but Ellie couldn't shake the conversation she had with her mother or her nervousness of how Michael would react. Dally and Steve put themselves into the middle of this, and Ellie knew they had made it worse by trying to make it better. Getting third parties involved always made things worse; she learned that the hard way.

The bell over the front door chimed, and Ellie looked up, her stomach dropping heavily to the dingy laminate floor. There were three of them, all sharply dressed and looking obviously out of place in a little East Side grocery store.

She could see the bruise that had set on his face from all the way across the store. His eyes were disturbingly calm, scanning each and every aisle for her.

"Can I help you boys with something?" Joe asked from his place behind the counter.

Ellie backed up and walked toward the back of the store, holding her breath as she listened to one of them respond. Pressing her back against a shelf she waited, hoping they would just leave before anything happened.

After a few minutes, the bell chimed again, and Ellie crept back to the front of the store. As she looked around the shelves, Michael was just walking out the front door. He looked back and saw her standing there.

His eyes were cold and filled with unfathomable hate as he raised a hand and pointed at her. He mouthed something, but Ellie was too transfixed on the coldness in his eyes to try and understand what he said.

_I am young, and I am free,  
__But I get tired, and I get weak._

A horn honked, and Michael turned around, slidding into the driver's seat of his Camaro. He gunned the engine, flying off down the street.

"What was the deal with that?" David asked. "You didn't even buy any liquor."

"It wasn't 'bout the liquor," Bob laughed. "That greaser girl he's messin' with works there."

"What's up with you and her?" David asked, watching Michael with a crooked grin.

"She got in my way and I'm about to get in hers," he said, his voice low and dangerous.

"Those guys that started shit last night are friends with her," Bob said, with a snort.

"No shit? That little broad's got friends like that?" David appraised.

"Yeah, you'd never guess it by lookin' at her," Bob added.

"Guess not," David replied. "You sure you want to mess with her?"

Michael glared at him but didn't say anything. He just kept driving and thinking about what he was going to do. She told. Plain and simple, she told her greaser friends everything, and she was going to pay the price. He had gone out of his way to scare her into silence, but now the rumor would be floating around Will Rogers by Monday morning.

"She's just a girl, Michael," David said, sensing the animosity from his friend. "And a kid at that. What's the big deal?"

"She's a greaser, _that's_ the big deal," Michael grimaced. To him, she wasn't a girl. She wasn't even a person. All he saw was a kid who was a threat to his family's name and his own reputation.

_I get lost and I can't sleep,  
__But suddenly, suddenly._

The sun was only just setting when Joe told her to go on home. Home wasn't more than a couple of miles from the store, and she loned it all the time. Her stomach was still twisted in knots over the threat Michael made, but it had been hours ago, so she tried to hold her worry back until Monday morning. It was Saturday night after all; she figured he was probably out boozing up at some beer blast with his friends.

Ellie turned left onto Front Street, seeing that the record store and most of the little family-owned hobby shops were already closed. The street and the sidewalks were empty, and Ellie was debating with herself if she should cut back across Sutton and meet up with Soda and Steve at the DX rather than walk the rest of the way by herself.

As the red Camaro turned the corner, she could suddenly hear her heart beating deafeningly in her ears as the blood drained from her face. The choice was quickly made for her and she turned and started running toward the DX as fast as her legs could carry her.

Somewhere behind her, she heard the car stop and the door slam. Feet pounded on the pavement behind her, gaining ground faster than she could ever hope to.

He yelled something she couldn't hear as his hand met her back and shoved her forward. Ellie went sprawling to the sidewalk, landing on her arm, skinning it from her elbow to her wrist, and skidding to a stop. She struggled to make it to her feet and run, but he grabbed her by the arm and yanked her violently to her feet.

"Come here," Michael growled, giving her arm a rough tug and shoving her into an alley way between two buildings. He pushed her backward into the brick wall and towered over her, blocking any possible exit.

"I told you not to open your fuckin' mouth, Grease," he slurred dangerously.

The thick odor of alcohol rolling off of his tongue caused her panic to escalate. Things always got worse when people were drunk. There were plenty of examples in their neighborhood of the things that happened. She had seen enough in her own living room, even without seeing the results on Johnny or Steve's faces. Suddenly the struggle to speak was almost as difficult as the struggle to breathe.

"I-I didn't say nothin'," she stammered, flinching as he slapped her sharply across the face.

"Bullshit," he sneered. "Then what the hell happened last night? Huh? That wouldn't have happened unless you opened your mouth."

"I swear to God, I didn't," she pleaded, trying to keep the panic out of her voice. She didn't want him to know just how afraid of him she was.

He grabbed a handful of her hair, smirking as she winced at the sudden attack. "I'm gonna teach you a lesson, Grease. When I tell you to shut your mouth, I mean that you better shut your mouth," he told her, his voice lowering into a dangerous hushed tone. "You better believe no one's gonna find out who your daddy is."

_No one finds out,_ he could hear his father tell him. _No one._

He swung a punch, smashing it hard into her face. Ellie cried out, the force behind his punch stunning her, causing her knees to go weak as she leaned against the wall for support.

Blood came pouring out of her nose almost on contact with his fist, and something ignited behind his eyes. He swung another and another as he fought her pathetic attempts to push him away from her. He hit her again, and this time it was enough to knock her to the ground.

The hatred had been brewing for ten long years. Ten years of listening to his father tell both him and Paul to keep the family name alive, to keep it from being drug through the dirt. Tony didn't do anything about it, nor did his father. Paul had the chance but did nothing. To find out that Darrel Curtis was friends with the girl pushed everything to the breaking point. Michael suddenly carried it all on his shoulders, and he was going to make sure that no one ever found out he was related to trash like her.

_How does it feel  
__To be different from me?  
__Are we the same?  
__How does it feel?_

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A/N: Thanks for the reviews and feedback. We appreciate all of it.   
We know this chapter was a little rough around the edges. Just hang tight. Thanks again.


	6. Storm

**Disclaimer: We do not own _The Outsiders _by S.E. Hinton, nor do we own "Storm" by Lifehouse.**

_

* * *

_

_How long have I  
__Been in this storm?  
__So overwhelmed by  
__The ocean's shapeless form._

His green eyes had gone wide at the sight of the blood streaked across Darry's t-shirt. Her blood that had soaked clear through to his skin when he picked her up off of the sidewalk. The painful sob that she had cried was echoing in his ears as loud as the frightened expression in Pony's eyes that was burned into his mind.

The scene kept replaying in his mind over and over. He had found her barely conscious and collapsed on the sidewalk on Front Street. Her face was bloodied, and she was hurt all over. He had crouched over her, brushing her blood matted hair off of her face to make sure it was really her.

He had called her name, and she had sobbed his back in a way that nearly broke him in half. Darry didn't want to believe it was her, he didn't want to believe that none of them were there to keep this from happening.

He brought her to the hospital and called her mother and then the guys. Soda had answered and fallen so deathly silent Darry thought the line had been severed. Then he heard Steve start to curse everything under the sun.

They were at the hospital in no time, storming through the halls, deserving every dirty, frightful look they were given. Darry was hounded with question after question, though he knew little more than they did. They sat in the waiting room for what felt like hours before Abigail arrived.

She looked frazzeled and angry, glancing over at the boys in disgust before the doctor finally led her back to her daughter's room. That was when Johnny asked the one question Darry didn't want to hear.

"Who's gonna tell Dally?"

Even though he asked quietly in the noisy waiting room, the question fell like a ton of bricks onto everyone's shoulders. Darry watched each of them as they quickly diverted their eyes, all finding the tile floor beneath their feet very interesting. Nobody was jumping at the chance to be the one to tell Dallas that Ellie had been jumped.

"Don't everyone get up at once," Darry said wearily, rising from his seat. "Is he at Buck's?"

"Yeah," Two-Bit replied, still chewing on his fingernail, as he had been since they arrived.

The corridors were crowded but Darry hardly noticed them as he made his way to the row of payphones by the elevators. Sighing, he plunked the change into the payphone and tried to think of what he could say. Nothing came to mind.

_Water's getting harder to tread  
__With these waves crashing over my head._

There was a brief knock on the door, and Dally felt like putting his hand through the wall as he climbed off the bed. It had taken most of his effort not to knock some sense into Sylvia after he found out she had slummed around on him while he spent the night in a cold jail cell. Not even 24 hours behind bars, and she had already cheated on him. Lord only knew how fast word had gotten back to her that he was in the cooler before she decided she would take advantage.

He threw the door open, hoping it was either Sylvia or that asshole from the Tigers she fooled around with. It was neither.

"You got a phone call," Buck said through the cigarette clenched in his teeth, turning back down the hallway.

"If it's Sylvia, tell her I ain't interested."

"It ain't," he called over his shoulder. "It's Curtis."

Curtis? "As in Darry Curtis?" Why was he calling Dally on a Saturday night? Whatever the reason, Dally knew it couldn't be good.

He followed Buck down the stairs, mentally cursing him to pick up the pace as he sauntered in front of him.

Dally grabbed the phone that sat behind the counter. "Darry?"

"Hey, Dal," he replied.

"What's going on?" He knew Darry hadn't called just to chit-chat.

Thankfully, Darry wasn't one to beat around the bush. "We're at the hospital. I found Ellie out on Front Street, all beat to hell when I was on my way home from work." He paused, waiting for Dally to begin cursing the way Steve had. Instead, he was only met with silence on the other end. "We haven't seen her yet. The doctor won't let us, but her mom's here now."

There was still no reply. "Dally?"

Dally could only stand there, staring at the wall across from him but seeing only a dull red haze. "Thanks, Darry," he mumbled into the receiver. He began to pull it away from his ear when he heard his name again.

"Dal, don't do anything stupid," he told him. After a second he added, "Again."

"Sure," he muttered as he placed the phone back on the cradle. That was the closest to a promise he could give Darry.

Dallas spotted Buck behind the counter, passing out refills to the greasers on the other side of the bar.

"I need to borrow your car," he called over the racket of the jukebox.

Buck nodded, taking the keys from his pocket. As he tossed them to him, he said what he said everytime. "Fill it up before you bring it back."

Dally nodded. Yeah, right.

_If I could just see you  
__Everything will be all right._

He hung the phone up, almost positive the only place they were going to see Dallas for a long time was going to be behind iron bars. Turning back to the waiting room, Darry hesitated as he saw Abigail heading for the elevators.

"How is she?" he asked carefully. He thought he heard her grumble something about Holdens.

"Not good," she replied bluntly.

Even though he'd known Abigail for several years, he didn't really know her. In fact, she made him uncomfortable. The tired glare that she always seemed to wear made turned his stomach with disturbing familiarity. A tired glare she had develped from having a kid too young and working too hard and for too long. It turned her bitter and cold, and he hoped his own situation didn't turn him into her.

"Can we see her?"

Abby nodded, repeatedly punching the elevator button. She couldn't seem to get out of there fast enough. "I told the doctor to let you in there, 'cause I gotta go. I can't miss my shift at the restaurant ."

"We'll keep an eye on her," he reassured her.

She whipped her head around at that statement. "Oh? Like you did tonight?"

Darry gave her a confused look as the elevator doors sprung open. "What?"

"She told me she had a ride home tonight," Abby snapped, stepping onto the empty elevator.

"We thought she did," he defended quietly.

She said nothing as the doors closed. She only kept that same cold stare in her eyes.

_If I'd see you  
__This darkness  
__Will turn to light._

The doors slid open, and Dally could see Darry standing toward the end of the hallway. He tried to keep his steps even, his stride paced, wanting desperately to not show the world to know just how anxious he really was. He didn't get anxious, he didn't get nervous. Nothing rattled him, and this shouldn't be any different. If anything, he should be angry, explosive even, but something entirely different was eating away at him. He almost gave up and ran down the rest of the hallway when he noticed the red staining Darry's shirt.

"How is she?" he asked as he stopped before Darry, keeping his tone cool. "She okay?"

Darry nodded. "I think she looks a lot worse than she really is, but she'll be okay."

He ran a hand through his hair and cursed under his breath. It took a lot for him to be standing in that hallway at that moment. He'd driven around for a good hour before he decided he shouldn't try to find that Holden kid. Darry's voice kept echoing through his mind and he had to see for himself that she was okay.

"Where is she?" he grimaced finally.

Darry nodded toward the closed door across the hall and Dally stared at it.

"She's sleepin' now, so maybe you oughta wait," Darry suggested. She had woken up for a little bit with everyone else there, but with the medicine they had been giving her and as banged up as she was, Ellie had said nothing. She lay there, her eyes closing tiredly from time to time as the others all made a fuss over her. Knowing they would only hang around and keep her from getting rest, he sent them all home and waited for Dally himself.

Dally pretended to not hear him and crossed the hallway, pushing the door open, he paused in the doorframe. Glory, but he could see the bruises from that far away.

"You think it was that Holden bastard?" he asked, knowing Darry was hovering behind him.

"I don't know, Dal. She didn't say anything, but she's really out of it right now," he said, surprised at how composed Dally was right then.

"I'll bet it was," he growled, his fists clenching.

"Even if it was, Dally, don't do anything stupid. You and Steve got your punches in last night and now she's the one in the hospital. Just let it be for now," he pleaded sternly.

There was that stirring in his stomach again. That deep, unfamiliar feeling that ate away at his insides and almost made him want to throw up right there and then. He wondered if that was guilt eating away at him. Darry was right, maybe he and Steve were to blame for her lying in that bed right then. It was their fault.

Dally walked into the room and stood beside her bed, taking her in. He clenched his fists tighter and resisted the urge to punch the wall. Aside from the bruises, there was a bandage covering her cheek and he could only assume that there were stitches under it.

"Christ," he muttered, touching his lips and rubbing his chin, itching for a cigarette.

"We need to let her rest tonight, Dal," Darry said.

"I'm stayin'," Dally declared, not looking back at him.

"Dal," he started, but stopped. He had shown up at the hospital without his knuckles bleeding, and he seemed uncharacteristically collected with the situation. Darry sighed; maybe it wouldn't be so bad to have someone here with her. "Okay."

Dally didn't say anything; he just grabbed a chair from across the room and pulled it closer to her bed. He sat down, leaning forward to look her over.

"Someone will be here in the morning," Darry said, watching him quizzically as he backed up toward the door.

"Fine." He heard the door close behind him a moment later. He was relieved to finally be alone with her, even if she didn't know he was there.

Dally studied her carefully, taking in each stitch, each bruise, each scar that was going to follow her for the rest of her life. He took her hand in his calloused one, wanting to drag her back to that first day of school when Michael started messing with her. He should have kicked his ass earlier, and maybe none of this would have ever happened. If they had done something sooner, it would be Holden in that bed, not Ellie.

But a thought kept tugging at the corner of his mind. If they had done something sooner, maybe the only thing it would have accomplished would be to put Ellie in that place sooner.

"Damnit, El," he cursed her, dropping her hand and leaning back in the chair. She breathed in and out evenly, and Dally realized he had never seen her beat up before. There had been bruises every now and then, depending on long certain guys hung around with her mother, but there was never anything that compared to this.

He was going to get a hold of Michael Holden and teach him a lesson about beating up on girls.

_Barely surviving has become my purpose  
_'_Cause I'm so used to living underneath the surface._

There was a white haze hovering in front of her eyes and she blinked them tiredly, willing it away. It didn't go and once she could focus on something, she realized it was morning. Sunlight poured through the slats in the blinds, washing over the room with that white haze that clouded her vision.

She had an urge to stretch her sleep-tightened muscles, but as she shifted slightly, she felt sharp pains mix with her dull aches and tried to lie still for the time being.

"'Bout time," a voice drawled heavily.

Ellie turned her head and was surprised to see Dallas was sitting in a chair beside her, his cowboy boots propped up on the bed near her calves and a cigarette between his lips. Her stomach tightened, twisting in the knots the way it had last night when the guys came into her room. Dallas was as likely to hound her about what had happened as Soda was to ask if she felt all right.

"I don't think you're supposed to smoke in here," she said, her voice raspy from sleep and medicine.

"That so?" he asked, pulling his feet off of the bed and leaning closer to her. He was staring at her, his icy blue eyes piercing hers, causing her to avert her eyes as her face flushed. "You feelin' all right?"

She shrugged, resting a palm on her forehead that ached. Though she didn't remember much from when her mom had been there, she thought she remembered something about a concussion and several stitches.

"I'm okay I guess," she said quietly. She bit her tongue almost instantly, wishing like hell she hadn't said that. It couldn't be helped though, it had become as natural a response as breathing to her.

"Yeah, you're lying in a fucking hospital bed, and you're okay," he sneered, leaning back and shaking his head, annoyed. "Jesus Christ."

"Dally," she groaned, closing her eyes again. "Don't start right now." She felt more trapped than ever. If he ever backed her into a corner before, she could just leave. Now, it wasn't that simple.

"Shit, Ellie," he cursed, tossing his cigarette to the floor and grinding it out with his boot. "He did it, didn't he? Holden. It was him."

She shook her head vehemently, feeling it start to ache with the sudden movement. "I don't know who it was," she lied through clenched teeth. "It was getting dark, and he came out of nowhere. I don't remember much about it."

"You're a fucking liar, kid," he declared, pushing his chair back and pacing the small area at the foot of her bed. "Nobody does that to a fuckin' girl unless they know them."

Ellie stared at the blankets lying over her, gingerly running her fingers across the gauze that was wrapped around her right arm. Dallas could spot a liar from a mile away, before they even opened their mouth. She kept her eyes diverted, afraid that if made eye contact with him, he would somehow read her mind.

The truth was that she remembered everything from the night before. It all had a clarity that nothing else ever had. She remembered the sound of the Camaro's tires turning the corner and coming to a stop behind her. She could hear the feet pounding the pavement. She could feel the sting on her face when he slapped her. She could feel the glass from the busted bottle cut away at her cheek as she lie there thinking she was going to die. She remembered everything.

Ellie felt the chill creep slowly up her spine and shivered as the thoughts all came flooding back.

Dally stopped pacing and stared at her. In the daylight, she looked even worse than she had before. Her skin was paler than usual; a dull, sickly color. The bruises had set in, appearing to darken with every passing moment. She kept her chin tilted down and her head slightly turned, keeping the bandaged side of her face away from him.

"Goddamnit, El!" he hissed. He stalked toward her, trying to get her to look at him. She kept her face downcast, and he grabbed her chin. "Why won't you just tell me it was him?"

She tried to pull away from him, but he kept hold of her. "It was, wasn't it?" he repeated, his voice quiet and bitter.

"I don't know who it was," she said once more. She could feel the conviction leave her voice, and she knew he heard it too.

Dally roughly tilted her chin up, making her meet his eyes. She could feel tears coming, the lump forming in her throat. He studied her, taking in the tears welling up in her eyes. He hadn't seen her cry since the Curtises passed away and couldn't remember a time she'd cried before that. He clenched his jaw, ready to kill someone for all of this.

"He'll be sorry," Dally guaranteed, hand still on her chin.

"Get out," Ellie said softly, trying to keep herself composed. She grabbed his hand and pushed it away as the door opened.

"What the hell do you think you're doin'?" Abby hissed as she saw Dallas towering over Ellie's bed.

Dally glared at her and looked back down at Ellie who was staring at her hands again.

"Damn it," he muttered.

Finally turning away from her, he stopped in front of Abby, staring her down. Dally hated parents, and he hated her mother especially for making Ellie put up with the shit she did, with the guys she brought home.

"Get the hell outta here," she told him coolly, undeterred by his glare.

He didn't say anything, he just walked around her and toward the door. He paused in the doorway when he saw the two cops standing just outside in the hall

"Winston?" one of them asked curtly, seemingly confused as to why he just came out of the O'Hare girl's room. It was the same cop that pulled him off of Michael two days ago.

"Don't even bother," Dally said, glancing over his shoulder and making eye contact with Ellie. "She's just gonna lie to you. Say she don't have a clue who beat her up."

"El?" Abby coaxed her attention back, her voice quiet as Dally finally left and the officers stepped in the room. "It's best you don't say nothin' to them. You hear?"

She nodded. Ellie had no intention of telling anyone anything. Even if they believed her, telling the police was going to accomplish nothing. If Michael were arrested, coming up with bond money wasn't going to be a problem with the Holdens. Lord knew that if he were arrested, it wasn't like he was going to be convicted of anything. They had the money; they had the power to do anything in that town. Besides, Michael scared her enough, she wasn't going to open her mouth to anyone.

No, Ellie wasn't going to say anything to anyone. But even as the cops began asking their questions, all she could think of was her mother telling her to keep quiet. Abigail didn't care that her daughter was in the hospital. She just wanted to save her own neck, leaving Ellie out in the cold like she always did.

_I know you didn't  
__Bring me out here to drown,  
__So why am I ten feet under  
__And upside down?_

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**A/N: Thank you for all your reviews! We're really glad you're enjoying our story so far!**


	7. Truth

Disclaimer: We do not own _The Outsiders_ by SE Hinton, nor do we own "Truth" by Seether.

_

* * *

If I gave you the truth,  
ould it keep you alive?  
Though I'm closer to wrong,  
I'm no further from right._

Ellie fidgeted with her hospital bracelet as the older nurse checked her stitches and bandages.

"How are you feelin'?" she asked, her voice soft and friendly with a heavy southern accent.

Ellie tried to offer a smile in return but knew it only come across as a cringe. "I'm okay."

The woman nodded slow and sad as she handed Ellie her afternoon dose of medicine. "What's the world coming to? A nice girl like you getting beaten up like this." She turned to the door, muttering as she stepped into the hallway, "Such a shame."

Ellie relaxed a little once she was alone again. Yeah, what a shame. It was a shame she was looking forward to being all alone in a strange hospital bed. It was better than when everyone came to visit her. She didn't like the way people were looking at her or fussing over her.

After the scene with Dally the day before, Abigail had refused to let anyone come visit her, with the exception of the fuzz. Ellie preferred to think it was because she wanted to make sure her daughter was okay, not because she wanted to make sure she didn't say anything about the Holdens. It sure was a shame Ellie couldn't convince herself of that.

However, Monday morning, Abigail was back to work, and Ellie was back to having visitors. While the boys were in school, Two-Bit's mother and younger sister, Lucy, had stopped by after taking Lucy to a doctor's appointment. Mrs. Mathews had fawned over her in a way that reminded her of Mrs. Curtis; a stong contrast to the way Abigail simply sat beside her bed, studying her nails or chomping on her gum, seemingly annoyed by the entire situation.

"How are you, Honey?" Mrs. Mathews had asked.

Ellie gave her the best smile she could fake, hoping she wasn't scarring Lucy for life. Lucy was only a couple of years younger than Ellie and still in middle school. She watched as her eyes traced every bruise and cut she had, her nervousness displayed with the way she played with the sleeve of her jacket. Ellie hoped she didn't believe this was what high school was like. She hoped she didn't think that all the socy boys beat up on the girls. She wanted to tell her it wasn't like that, but she held back, afraid she might say too much.

"I'm fine," Ellie replied, as Mrs. Mathews straightened up her pillows and blankets. Her replies were becoming her mantras. She couldn't count how many times she had spoken the same few words.

She had said little more than that to anyone, except when she answered the police questions. Those answers were more along the lines of 'no' or 'I don't remember.' She was beginning to convince herself that she really couldn't remember who jumped her, until she closed her eyes and the entire scene replayed on her eyelids. If everyone would just stop asking her if she was okay, maybe she could put the memories behind her.

Soon after Mrs. Mathews and Lucy left, Joe and Margie showed up.

The Thompsons were the owners of the grocery store where Ellie worked. They were a couple in their late 50s, both round and pudgy, with similar graying hair. Joe had been wary of hiring such a young teenager, but with his only son away at college and Ellie persistently stopping by everyday after school, he finally gave in. His breaking point had been when Ellie made Two-Bit give back a magazine after he had stashed it under his jacket. He hired her on a conditional basis. If she could keep an eye on the hoods that were so fond of shoplifting while she swept or mopped the floors among other menial tasks, she could keep the job. The greasers avoided the store after they heard what she pulled, and even Two-Bit paid honest money at the store after that.

Margie had her arms full of candy and flowers for Ellie. It was a similar scene to when Mrs. Mathews showed up, with her fluffing up Ellie's pillows. They only stayed a short while, having to get back to the store.

Despite her arguments to the contrary, Joe continued to gripe about how it was his fault.

"Never should have sent you home early without making sure you had yourself a ride," he grumbled.

Ellie was relieved when they finally headed to the door. The last thing she needed to hear was how it was anyone's fault but her own.

_And now I'm convinced on the inside  
__That something's wrong with me._

The medicine the nurse had given her was causing Ellie to doze on and off until heard a quick rap on her door. It opened slowly, and Tim Shepard stuck his head in the door.

"Hiya, kid," he drawled, pushing the door open farther as he and Curly stepped in.

"Hi, Tim," she greeted slowly. She had known Curly since grade school, but she was only acquainted with Tim through Dally.

"Man, Ellie," Curly said, looking more and more uncomfortable at each passing moment. "You look like shit."

His remark earned him a hand to the back of the head from Tim. "Don't fuckin' say that to a girl," he ordered.

"I know," she replied, ignoring Tim's comment. She was just glad someone was being honest to her. Curly wasn't looking at her with that pitiful, sympathetic look she was receiving from the nurses and even the doctors.

Curly flopped into the chair that had been sitting beside her bed all night. "You're pretty popular at school now," Curly told her, leaning back in his seat.

"Oh yeah?" she asked, trying to keep her focus on Curly. Tim was making her uncomfortable standing at the foot of her bed, studying her the same way Dally had studied her earlier.

"Yeah," Curly replied. "Word's been gettin' around you were jumped by some soc. Oh," he added as an afterthought, "and Mathews got suspended for the week."

Ellie felt her heart rate increase but tried to keep her expression the same. What was it this time? "What happened?" she asked timidly.

Curly shrugged. "Messin' around. I heard something about deflating all the footballs and basketballs in the gym," he said. "Mathews said he just wanted a reason to get the week off. Guess so you'll have company 'til you go back."

Tim watched her as she started to brush her hair off her face. She paused a moment, as if she had suddenly remembered something. She dropped her hand to her lap, letting her hair hang where it was. Curly had told him what he heard from her friends, that she had been banged up pretty bad and was sporting a long line of stitches down her cheek. He could see the bandage through her dark hair from where he stood.

"Some scar you're gonna have there," Tim appraised, nodding toward her face. He watched her hand twitch on her lap, as she resisted the urge to reach for it. "You'll get used to it. Actually, it'll prob'ly look pretty tuff on a broad like you," he added, leaning on the window sill beside him.

"Sure, maybe I can scare 'em off next time," she replied, sarcasm in her tone. Tim grinned at her. He liked that she wasn't scared of him. But after all she had been through, a fellow greaser was the least of her worries, even if he was Tim Shepard.

"Me an' Curly just came to talk to some of your gang," Tim explained. "See if they wanted any of my boys to help knock somebody's head into the pavement for doin' that to you."

Ellie shook her head slowly, wondering just how far all of this would end up going. "Thanks, but you don't need to do that," she told him, trying to hold his gaze. "I'm not even sure who it was."

Tim nodded slowly, unconvinced. "Sure." Before Ellie could reply, he turned his attention to the door at the sound of commotion out in the hall.

"El-la!" Two-Bit announced loudly as he shoved open the door, Soda on his heels. He paused slightly, surprised by the presence of the Shepard boys. "You break the news to her about my vacation this week?" he asked Curly.

"Yeah, he told me," Ellie answered for him. "What'd you do that for?"

Two-Bit grinned at her and plopped down on the edge of the bed. "You can't be the only one havin' a week off to relax. I'll keep ya company, kid."

"Guess not," she sighed.

"How're you feeling, El?" Soda asked, sitting on the other side of the bed, grinning at her with one of his signature smiles.

She hesitated, choosing her words carefully. She knew they wouldn't get on her case about her answer, but she wanted to offer something else all the same. "I'm feelin' better."

"You look better today," he said, placing a hand on her head and ruffling her hair gently. "Guess that means you get to go home soon?"

"Yeah, the doctor said I could go home tomorrow," she said.

"You going to be back in school this week?" Curly asked.

"No, I get to take the rest of the week off and go back on Monday," she told him. She looked from Soda to Two-Bit and asked, "Where's everyone else?"

"Two-Bit dropped Pony and Johnny off at the little general store down the street a ways. Darry and Steve are at work," Soda told her.

"Hey! Who brought all that candy?" Two-Bit asked excitedly.

"Joe and Margie."

"Shit, do I have to pay for it?" he asked. Walking toward it, his eye caught on something.

"Depends," she sassed, grinning at the coy look he was giving her. "Are you gonna eat it all or leave some for me?"

"Well," he drawled, separating the chocolate from the gum and hard candy. "You let me have the chocolate, and you can have everything else."

"Who taught you how to make a bargain, Mathews? Your little sister?" Tim smirked.

"I learned a few things from her. That little broad can talk her way out of anything," Two-Bit joked. "Guess it pays to be a girl. Huh, El?"

Ellie rolled her eyes and offered him a deal. "If you leave the Almond Joys for me, I'll let you have the rest of the chocolate, and Soda and I won't tell no one else you ate it all."

"Deal," Two-Bit announced, reaching his hand out to shake on it. Ellie shook it with a small laugh and watched him gather candy bar after candy bar and hide them on his person.

"You're a better theif than bargainer, Mathews," Tim appraised, as he watched the candy bars disappear.

Two-Bit flashed a grin as he tossed Soda a Hershey bar and unwrapped one for himself. "Ain't that the truth?"

Tim waved him off and looked at Ellie as he grabbed Curly's collar and pulled him toward the door, "Feel better, kid. See you around."

"Bye," Ellie said quietly, watching them walk out the door.

_No, there's nothing you say that can salavage the lie.  
__But I'm trying to keep my intentions disguised._

Dally grimaced when the elevator doors slid open, revealing Tim and Curly Shepard on the other side.

"Winston," Tim appraised, stepping back and letting him out of the elevator.

"Shepard," Dally said, his voice dripping with annoyance. He was wondering what the hell he was doing there until he spotted Curly staring at him. "What the fuck is your problem, Curly?"

Curly shrugged and moved out of Dally's way as he continued walking down the hallway toward Ellie's room.

"Hold up, Dal," Tim called after him, quickening his pace to catch up to him. Dally stopped and leaned against a wall, glaring at Tim and then Curly as he sauntered up to them.

"What?"

He nodded toward her room. "You know who it was?"

Dally cursed under his breath and pulled out a cigarette. Shaking the match out and taking a drag, he looked at Shepard and said, "She knows who did it, but she won't tell no one. Fuck it, I know who did it, goddamn punk's been messin' with her since school started."

"Yeah, I didn't believe her either," Tim acknowledged. "Is it a soc?"

He exhaled smoke and watched it dissipate as he nodded. "Can't figure out why she's protectin' that bastard."

Tim snorted in disgust. "Thought she was smart," he said, nodding in the direction of Ellie's room. "Thought she knew the score."

Dally wanted to lay him out right then and there if there hadn't been so many nurses, doctors, and families milling about. "She _does_ know the score," he snapped.

"Yeah," Curly replied, imitating his brother's stance, "Sure seems like it, the way she won't tell nobody nothin'."

"She knows the score," Dally told them through gritted teeth.

Tim could hear the defensive bite in his voice, and he shook his head. That was exactly the reason he would never let a girl hang around his gang. Not girlfriends or sisters. They only got the boys distracted, kept them from thinking straight. Seemed like old Dally was thinking pretty fuzzy right then, only proving his point.

"I got a few guys in school. I can have 'em do something about him if you know what I mean," Tim said, lighting up his own cigarette and nodding toward Curly. "Jus' give me a name."

"Yeah, me and Rick'll take care of it," Curly said eagerly, rubbing his hands together at the thought.

"You and Bradley? Shit," Dally mocked as a he took another long drag. The name was sitting heavy on his tongue, but he wanted to be the one to beat the shit out of Michael Holden. He wanted to see him in his own hospital bed, beaten and bruised. He opened his mouth to say the name, but he stopped himself, remembering what Darry said and that feeling that ate away at him when he looked at her in that bed. He'd gone after Holden before, and she was the one that ended up in the hospital.

"We'll take care of it," Dally told him, looking at Tim's face and seemingly noticing his scar for the first time. "If anyone gets to beat the shit out of him, it's going to be me."

"I respect that," Tim replied, extending his hand. "You boys need anything, just let me know."

Dally shook his hand and said with his cigarette between his lips, "I got it, Shepard."

"I don't doubt it," he said, walking with Curly toward the elevators. "Take care of her."

"She's tuff enough. She'll be fine," Dally called.

Tim didn't know if he really thought that or if he was just trying to convince himself. "Offer still stands," he replied.

Dally watched after them until they stepped onto the elevator. He surpressed a chuckle as Curly looked a younger nurse already on up and down suggestively. She suddenly decided she no longer needed to go to the floor she was headed to and squeezed through the closing elevator doors.

As Dallas neared Ellie's room, he hesitated for a moment, listening to the tail end of one of Two-Bit's stories, followed by his cackling laughter. That wasn't what made him pause though. It was the softer laughter that he heard. As mad as she had been the last time he saw her, he didn't think he'd be hearing Ellie laugh for a while. Leave it to Two-Bit to get it out of her.

When he pushed the door open, he watched her smile disappear as she fidgeted with the empty candy wrapper in her hands.

"How's it goin', kid?" he asked, nodding a greeting to Two-Bit and Soda.

Shrugging, she finally replied, "Going good enough." She seemed to suddenly remember Two-Bit and Soda were in the room as well, happy to have a buffer between her and Dally. "Two-Bit was just telling me about getting suspended today."

"Oh yeah?" Dally asked, leaning back in his chair with an amused look on his face. "What'd you do this time?"

Two-Bit could hardly tell his story without fits of laughter. "I thought it'd be a swell idea to go to gym class today. But then I got there and realized, 'Hell, I ain't playin' baseball with no socs.' So I sorta wandered around until they all went out to the fields. Then I got an idea better than going to gym class."

He stopped to laugh, and even Dally had a grin on his face.

"He deflated all the sports equipment in the gym," Ellie finished for him. She couldn't help the smile on her face either. It was hard not to be amused with some of Two-Bit's antics.

"Well, all except the baseballs, but you can't deflate those," Two-Bit said proudly.

"How'd you manage that?" Dally asked, imagining the looks on all those socs faces when they went to have practice and found all of their balls flat.

"Well, I was doing it the hard way, until the bell rang, and then…" he trailed off, pulling out his older switchblade. He never would have risked ruining the brand new one he lifted. That one was his pride and joy.

Dally shook his head, still grinning. "You're crazy, man."

"You shoulda seen Coach Newsome. Man, he was all kinds of pissed. Thought he was gonna have a heart attack, as red as his face got when he found me in there, with all those balls shredded." He nudged Ellie's arm. "Had to do something to get you in a better mood, El."

"I guess it worked," she told him as Johnny and Ponyboy walked into the room.

"I see Two-Bit's letting you in on the prank he pulled today," Pony said, happy to see them all laughing and smiling. It was a scene completely different from the one just two nights before.

Soda glanced at the bag in his hand. "Whatcha got there, Pone?"

He passed it to Ellie, an almost guilty look on his face. "Johnny and I brought you a book."

Her brow creased as she tried to read his expression. However, the moment she pulled the book out of the bag, she remembered. Gone with the Wind.

"Oh," she said, realization crossing her face, turning her lips into a frown. "Don't tell me you guys missed the movie 'cause of me."

Pony shook his head. "No, Darry made us go yesterday. Just wanted to get us out of the house, I guess. Sorry we went without you, El."

Dally watched Ellie give Pony a genuine smile. They all knew how much she had been looking forward to seeing that movie. She actually seemed happy about the fact that they saw it without her. It kind of pissed him off that she wasn't mad about it.

"You're just gonna have to tell me all about it," she replied, flipping through the book as she tried to surpress a yawn.

Soda seemed to notice the yawn before the others as he glanced around the room. "Looks like you've had just about as many visitors as you can handle for one day, huh, Ellie?"

She nodded. "Guess it's been a busier day than I thought."

"Why don't I take you boys home?" Two-Bit suggested, grabbing a piece of chocolate from his pocket and tossing it to Ellie with a grin. "Let El get some sleep."

"We'll tell you all about the movie tomorrow," Pony assured her.

"You'll have to tell us about the book," Johnny added with a small grin as they all headed for the door.

"You comin', Dal?" Two-Bit asked over his shoulder.

"No, I'm hanging around for a while. See y'all later," he replied, keeping a steady gaze on Ellie.

When the door shut behind the others, she sighed. "You staying just to fight with me some more?"

"That ain't why I'm staying," he muttered, even though that was really what he wanted to do. He noticed as she visibly relaxed and played with the wrapper on the chocolate Two-Bit had tossed to her. "How's come you weren't mad at Pony and Johnny for going to see that movie without you?"

She shrugged. "They wanted to see the movie too, and I would've felt bad if they didn't see it just because I couldn't go." Her voice got quiet and she said, "I didn't want to ruin everyone's weekend."

"Who gives a shit?" Sometimes Dally just didn't understand broads. "We all know how much you wanted to see it."

Ellie leaned back in the bed, closing her eyes. It had been a long day already, and Dally arguing with her was making it that much more tiring. "I'm sick of everybody going out of their way for me the last couple days."

She was quiet for a moment. Dally was wondering if she had already fallen asleep when she mumbled drowsily, "I thought said you didn't stay to fight with me."

"I didn't," he lied. It sounded like he were a million miles away, but when he took her hand in his own, she knew he was right there beside her

She forced her eyes open and turned to face him where he sat beside her. One finger traced a scratch on the top of her hand.

"When do you get to go home?" he asked, still looking at the scratch.

"Tomorrow morning sometime," she said, watching him. "You might want to be out of here before my mom shows up."

He nodded slightly, still transfixed on her hand. "Yeah, no shit."

"You okay?" she asked softly, hesitently.

He finally looked up at her. Sitting back, he said, "You're the one in the hospital bed and you're askin' me if I'm okay?"

Ellie gave him a tired smile and sassed, "I thought you said you didn't come here to fight with me."

"Go to sleep, Miss Priss," he told her, a hint of a smirk on his lips.

"You don't have to stay if you don't want to," she told him as her eyes fluttered shut. "I ain't going to notice none."

"Yeah," Dally said. He just didn't want to let her out of his sight. If something else was going to happen to her, he was going to be there to make sure no one touched her again. He should have been there in the first place.

He waited until her breathing was deep and even before he reached for her hand again and held it in his own. "Sorry, kid," he said to the air.

He wondered if he only imagined in when she squeezed his hand back.

_I'm beaten down again,  
__I'm weaker now my friend,  
__Beaten down again,  
__I've failed you._

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A/N: We just want to thank you guys for all the reviews and all of the positive feedback. It really means a lot!

We also want to express our condolences to all those affected by the Virginia Tech tragedy. You are all in our thoughts and prayers.


	8. Breathing

**Disclaimer: We do not own _The Outsiders_ by S.E. Hinton, nor "Breathing" by Lifehouse.**

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_I'm finding my way back to sanity again  
__Though I don't really know what  
__I'm gonna do when I get there._

Seven. They were on their seventh fight of the last three days. Jimmy could outyell Abby, but she was never one to back down and, seemingly for the first time, she was fighting for Ellie's side. Ellie sighed as she stared up at the crack in her plaster ceiling; there was a first time for everything.

For the past 52 minutes, Ellie watched her alarm clock tick by slowly, trying to read _Gone With the Wind,_ but she had tossed it aside when Abby and Jimmy started fighting again. Lying on her back, she had resorted to counting the bruises on her arms, sides, legs and those she could feel on her face. Gingerly moving her fingers up and down her sides, she tried to count the number of cracked ribs she had, along with those the doctor had called "merely bruised, not broken." She scoffed to herself. They sure felt broken.

As she counted ribs, she stared up at the crack in the ceiling. It looked to be about a foot and half long, trailing down the wall behind her for about three inches. Ellie would have sworn that it had gotten longer with every blowout since she'd been home.

Jimmy was getting louder, and Ellie was getting desperate to drown him out. She walked across the room and stood in front of her record player. She counted 15 albums sitting in alphabetical order, motivated by her own boredom. There were two she set off to the side that she borrowed from Ponyboy, and one she had carefully hidden in her closet. She would never live it down if the guys found out she dug the Beatles.

Flipping through them, she tried to find something- anything- that would play loud enough to get her mind off of what was going on just down the hall. She considered a couple, but nothing seemed like it would do any good. What she really needed was to get out of her house.

Three days was far too long to be stuck at home and in bed, not that she stayed there long. After Abby dropped her off at the house on Tuesday afternoon, Ellie tried to rest. Really, she tried. However, she had already been in bed for three days, so instead of following the doctor's instructions, which her mother reiterated before heading to work, Ellie went to tidying up her room. That was finished before she knew it. With nothing else to do, she turned her records on and began counting things, beginning with her clothes: her skirts, jeans, blouses, shoes and socks. None of that took very long either.

And now, here it was, Thursday afternoon slowly dragging into evening. She had gotten back only an hour before from getting her stitches out- the one thing she had avoided counting.

Her venture back to St. Francis earlier was far from exciting and even further from comforting. Abby had said nothing either way while the nurses couldn't keep their traps shut. They kept trying to reassure her that she was still a very pretty young lady, and that no one would notice her new scar. A nurse had offered her a mirror after the final stitch had been removed, but Ellie had pushed it back to her. She wasn't in a hurry to look at that scar. She only had the rest of her life to look at it.

Something shattered, and Ellie was startled out of her trance. The volume seemed to suddenly increase between them, and Ellie couldn't take it anymore. Stalking across her room, she slid her the window open and climbed out with more difficulty than she had expected. Every wrong movement sent shockwaves through her entire body, causing her breath to catch and leaving her to wonder how Dally had managed to deal with so many cracked ribs.

She slid her window shut as he started banging on her bedroom door. Whatever he was yelling at her fell on deaf ears as she crossed the lawn and walked across the street. Cursing under her breath, she realized that he was starting to feel the financial pinch of being a father.

_Take a breath and hold on tight  
__Spin around one more time._

The gate was hanging wide open and so was the front door. Her steps slowed as she walked up the stairs to the front porch, listening to Steve and Darry arguing. Hearing her name yelled by Steve, Ellie fell back into the bench out of sight to the guys inside and listened. At least Steve was yelling to try to do something about what happened instead of blaming her for the the burden of having to care.

"What good is it going to do, Steve?" Darry shouted.

"She got _jumped_ by a guy, Darry. A soc, even. We can't just do nothin'," Steve yelled back.

"Ellie?"

The voice was quiet, but it startled her nonetheless. She looked to the street and saw Johnny and Dally standing on the steps looking at her.

"Hey," she said meekly, trying to force a smile. Johnny sat beside her, and Dally leaned into one of the support posts, smoking and glancing inside. "Seems to follow me," she tried to joke, nodding toward the door. "At least they ain't fightin' over bills."

Johnny lit two cigarettes and passed her one. "It'll blow over eventually," he said, trying to sound optimistic.

Taking a drag, she shrugged and looked at Dally as Darry shouted back at Steve, "Think about it Steve. You and Dally went after him and the next night she was the one in the hospital."

"So it's our fault?"

"I'm not saying that. I'm just saying you guys need to just back the hell off for once. You don't have to fight off everyone that messes with her."

"He put her in the hospital, Darry!"

She saw something flash in Dally's eyes, and as soon as it was there, it was gone and Ellie wondered what it was. He still stared at her intently, practically oblivious to the fact that she noticed him watching her. He seemed reserved and quiet, almost thoughtful. She couldn't ever remember seeing this side of him. She didn't even know it existed.

He continued to focus on her, staring fixedly at a spot on her face. Ellie knew exactly what he was staring at. The stitches were out and all that was left was a long pink scar that wasn't there a week ago.

"How comes you're so quiet, Dal?" she asked, wanting to break his gaze on her scar. She almost wished he were yelling along with Steve and Darry. At least then she would know what he was thinking. He was hard to read when he was so quiet.

"How's _Gone With the Wind_?" Johnny asked, trying to divert her attention.

Dally looked away first, and Ellie turned to Johnny, letting her hair fall from behind her ear and across her cheek. "It's good. Really long, but it's keeping me busy." She didn't add that she had been more distracted by Abby and Jimmy yelling and her own counting to actually make it past the first few pages.

"That's good," he replied. "The movie was really long, too."

"I'll bet the movie is a lot better than some book," Dally interjected, tossing his cigarette away.

"Yeah," she replied, following the red glow as it streaked across the lawn.

The screen door swung open, and they all looked up as Steve stormed out. He paused as he noticed everyone sitting on the porch. He glanced at Ellie before cursing under his breath and storming down the steps and to his car parked along the street.

Soda bounded out a moment later, struggling to pull his shoe on and run after Steve. He stopped and looked between Dally, Johnny and Ellie.

"Don't sweat it, El. He'll get over it," Soda told her. "We're supposed to meet the girls, so maybe Evie can put him in a better mood." He winked at her and ran off after Steve.

"Girls?" Ellie asked. "Who's Soda dating?"

"Some blonde broad he picked up at the football game last weekend," Dally told her as Two-Bit walked outside.

"Hey, El," he greeted sheepishly, realizing she must have been sitting there for the whole fight between Steve and Darry. "You comin' to the party with us tonight?"

"What party?"

"Buck's throwing a party," Dally told her.

"On a Thursday night? Who got out of jail?" she asked, and Dally smirked at her. He hadn't lied when he told Shepard she knew the score.

"Some kid from Brumly," he said. "C'mon, John, let's get goin'."

"Sure you ain't coming, Ellie?" Johnny asked.

Ellie nodded, wondering how in the world they ever talked him into going to a party at Buck's. "Yeah, I ain't exactly looking dolled up enough for a party," she said.

As Two-Bit and Johnny stepped off the porch, Dally gave her shoulder a light nudge. "Can't even notice that scar, El."

Before she could reply, he was down the stairs and stepping onto the sidewalk. She couldn't be sure, but she thought she saw him look back at her as he caught up with Johnny and Two-Bit.

_I am looking past the shadows  
__Of my mind, into the truth._

He could hear the commotion in the kitchen, but he didn't smell anything burning. A sure sign that Ellie must have been helping Ponyboy cook.

Darry had been too fed up with the earlier argument to fix dinner. He left it up to Pony as he sat in his room, sorting through bills and stewing over Steve's hot temper.

Soon, the commotion stopped. Pans were no longer banging around, utensils no longer hitting the floor. Even the subdued laughing and joking Pony and Ellie had been doing had stopped. Tossing an envelope aside, he stood. It probably wasn't a good thing that they were suddenly so quiet.

Stepping into the hall, he was going to see if they had finished fixing dinner. However, when he heard them arguing, his footsteps fell more quietly as he neared the kitchen. He wasn't typically one to eavesdrop, but with everything being so out of sorts lately, he couldn't help himself.

"Pony, I told you to just drop it," Ellie snapped, keeping her tone hushed.

"You ain't telling us everything, and we all know it, too," Ponyboy returned, his tone equally as irritated and hushed as hers.

"I'm getting enough of the third degree from Steve and Dally," she replied. Darry heard her plunk the plates down on the table impatiently. A chair squeaked across the floor as she sat down. "I don't need it from you too."

"Ellie," Pony pleaded, "I thought I was your best friend."

"You are," she affirmed, her voice growing weary.

"So why won't you tell me what's going on?"

"If you're my best friend," she countered, "why won't you just drop it?"

"_Because_ I'm your best friend. But if you don't think you can trust me, I guess I can just go around wondering why you're protecting him and leaving us out to dry."

Darry almost smiled in the hall listening to his little brother. That kid could make you feel guilty for just about anything when he set his mind to it. He had talked to Two-Bit about it and he said Lucy was the same way. They figured it must be a younger sibling gift or an older sibling folly.

"If I tell you exactly what's going on, it's gonna be around town in a heartbeat," she reasoned. "The second Two-Bit or Steve or even Dally finds out, it's gonna spread around Will Rogers like wildfire, which is gonna make everything that much worse."

"Ellie," Pony said, his voice more understanding than it had been just moments before. "Since when do you know me to go around blurting something you told me not to?"

Darry could hear the scowl on her face. "Gee, I don't know. Since about a week ago when you told the guys about Michael knocking all my things down the stairs at school."

"Oh," he answered quietly. "You never told me to keep my mouth shut about that. And if I knew it was going to set everybody off like that, I wouldn't have said nothin' anyway."

Darry leaned quietly against the wall. By her silence, he could tell Pony was breaking her down. She was going to tell him, he knew it.

He was surprised in some ways, but should have expected it all along. He couldn't blame her for keeping it from the others. They were hot-headed and angry, looking for a fight. Steve and Dally served a night in jail for losing their tempers in the wrong place at the wrong time. On the other hand, he knew she wanted to tell somebody. It seemed to be eating away at her, and who better than Pony? He was the closest one to her, after all, and he wasn't one to break a confidence.

"You have to swear on your life that you'll _never_ open your mouth about this," she told him, her whisper coming out harsher than normal. "_Ever_, Pony. I mean it."

"I swear, El. What's going on?"

"You can't go tell Soda, so he can go tell Steve," she told him.

"Ellie, I swear on my life," Pony told her impatiently.

Ellie took a deep breath. Darry was wondering if she was having second thoughts until she blurted out, "He's my cousin."

Darry stood a little straighter, and Pony sounded as confused as he felt. "Cousin? Who?"

"Michael Holden." Her voice was quiet, full of regret for taking Pony's bait and telling him.

"Your cousin? Michael? So he is the one that jumped you?" It sounded as if he had a million questions milling about in his head, but he couldn't quite formulate the words for any of them.

"He's my cousin. He jumped me because he's my cousin," she explained slowly, awkwardly.

"Why would…" Pony trailed off, trying to sort everything out in his head. Darry was trying to put everything together himself. Finally Pony simply asked, "Why?"

"You think Mr. Super-Soc wants to be known as some _greaser's_ cousin? It'd ruin his reputation, and it'd ruin his family's too," she spat, hurt in every word. Softly she added, "And he thought I told everyone."

"That's stupid," he stated shortly.

"Yeah, tell me about it," she grumbled.

"He's your cousin?" he asked, his voice still deep in confused thought. "Who's your dad then?"

"It's Tony, isn't it?"

She turned and looked at Darry as he stepped into the kitchen from the hallway.

"How much did you hear?" she asked apprehensively.

Darry straddled a chair and looked at her head on. Ellie stared back at him, her eyes wide, and a hundred excuses on her mind that wouldn't roll off of her tongue.

"All of it," Darry confessed.

Ellie groaned and propping an elbow on the table, she rested her forehead into her hand. Pony glanced at Darry, who gave him a curt, reassuring nod. He wouldn't break either one of their confidence.

"Ellie," Darry said, coaxing her attention.

She looked at him, looking close to being sick with all the information she had volunteered. "Darry, please don't say nothing. You can't," she begged him.

"Did you know the whole time?" he asked. "When I hung around with Paul and those few times with Michael, you knew?"

She nodded slowly and Darry sighed, a barrage of memories hitting him hard. Ellie tagging along to his games and being faced with some huge secret she couldn't even hint at. Paul making mention of Tony almost blowing his entire career after falling into some sort of trouble. He could remember the look on Michael's face when Paul told him that and the harshness of his words when Michael told him to shut up about it.

Darry wondered if they knew who she was the whole time.

"Your dad is Tony Holden?" he asked again.

It was the biggest truth she ever had to own up to. The biggest truth no one except those closest to the situation even knew about. Of those that knew, there was no one who actually thought about how she felt.

She didn't know if she could even say it out loud. There was so much hurt that she tried with all of her might to simply bury, but lately everything seemed to continually bob to the surface.

"You can't say anything, Darry. You can't tell anyone," she told him again, ignoring his question and holding his gaze firmly.

"I won't say anything Ellie, but no one cares if your dad is a soc," he told her, hoping she believed him.

"Yeah," Pony added. "We don't care."

"It's not that," she exclaimed, frustrated. "Not all of it, anyway."

"Does your mom know it was Michael?" Pony asked.

She nodded. "She knows, and she doesn't care any further than Tony and Frank staying out of it all. I can't tell anyone anything because things would get so much worse than they already are." She stopped and took a shaky breath, wondering if she could handle the backlash of this going full circle.

She finally looked up, meeting their eyes before she said, "You guys can't tell anyone. Not Steve or Dally and most certainly _not_ Two-Bit. Everybody from here to Texas would know if he found out. I s'pose I got enough rumors going on about me. I don't need this on top of it all." She paused, resting her head in her hand again. Quietly she continued, "I don't want any of you going to jail over this and knowing a couple of you, that's where somebody's gonna end up. That don't help me any."

"I promise, kiddo," Darry told her earnestly. Looking at Pony, he said, "We won't say anything."

"Yeah," Pony added. "I promise, El."

With their promises secured, the three of them sat down to dinner quietly. The boys ate while Ellie pushed her food around on her plate. Pony looked at her from time to time, wanting to say something, but she wouldn't look at him. She trusted Pony and Darry to keep their words, but she still couldn't fight the nervousness that was eating away at her insides.

_I don't want a thing from you  
__Bet you're tired of me waiting  
__For the scraps to fall._

Ellie was stretched out on the couch, glad to be looking up at an uncracked ceiling, with Dean Martin keeping her company in the background. She hadn't bothered to change the channel after Ponyboy and Darry went to bed.

She studied the ceiling carefully, not beating herself up as much as she was earlier for telling Pony and Darry about Michael. It wasn't exactly a secret she was in a hurry to share, but she felt a little better nonetheless getting it off of her chest. However, she still couldn't help the anxious feeling in her stomach. What if something came up in a conversation and Darry or Pony accidentally slipped? She closed her eyes. All this thinking made her head hurt and her stomach continue to ache with worry.

The front door flew open, and Ellie nearly jumped out of her skin as Steve and Soda walked in.

"Hey, El," Steve said, walking around the coffee table and plopping down on the couch near her feet.

"Hi," she replied, trying to keep her voice as neutral as possible, hoping to avoid certain conversations. "How were your dates?"

Soda frowned at her before making his way into the kitchen as Steve chuckled. "My date was just fine."

"What about yours, Soda?" she asked.

"Don't ask," he muttered, filling a glass with chocolate milk.

Ellie looked at Steve for an explanation. He still had a smirk on his face. "Turns out Evie's friend, Sandy, isn't allowed out on school nights."

"Woulda been nice if Evie could've told me," Soda said as he walked back into the living room. His typical grin was replaced by a frown. "'Stead of me hanging around, being a third wheel."

Steve laughed. "C'mon, Soda. We hardly noticed you were there."

Soda grimaced. "Sure, it was a blast watching you two neck all night long."

"Why didn't you pick up some other girl at Rusty's?" Ellie wondered out loud, hiding a smile.

"It seemed to be either date night or family night tonight," he replied. "Every girl there was either with her boyfriend or with her family. Doesn't make for much picking up. Even with a smile like mine," he added, grinning.

Steve cracked a smile and leaned in close to Ellie, whispering loudly to her, "He says Sandy's somethin' different."

Ellie looked at Soda, batting her eyes ridiculously, "Is that so Sodapop? Is she somethin' special?"

"Cut it out you two," he said good naturedly. "I like her is all."

"Yeah, well, she's a real looker," Steve appraised, nodding suggestively in Soda's direction.

"That ain't all I got on my mind. I'd have to actually go out with her first," Soda replied. He downed the rest of his milk, setting the glass on the top of the TV as he waved them off. "I gotta work in the morning, so I'm gonna go to bed. Night y'all."

"Good night," Steve and Ellie both replied as he walked down the hallway to his room.

"You're staying the night too, huh?" Ellie asked, as Steve lit up a cigarette.

"Yeah," he answered, his cigarette bobbing between his lips. "My ol' man's on a mean streak this week."

Ellie nodded. Usually he wasn't so bad, but there were a few times she could hear Steve's dad yelling. The two houses that stood between theirs didn't serve for much of a buffer. She never told Steve she could hear him, though. She knew how much he hated the fights they got into, but he never let on just how bad they were sometimes. He wouldn't want everybody knowing his dad rivaled Johnny's mom at yelling.

"Has it been a rough couple of days, being stuck at home and all?" he asked.

Reaching for her pack of cigarettes, she realized he must be able to hear the yelling coming from her house, too.

"I guess so," she said, fumbling with the lighter he tossed to her.

It was quiet for a few minutes as they smoked their cigarettes and watched Dean Martin.

"Are you ready to go back to school Monday?" he asked, reaching for the ashtray in front of him.

She shrugged. "I guess I have to be."

"You know, you could just tell us who jumped you, and we could take care of it all," he told her. She held back an exasperated sigh. At least this time he didn't sound as unreasonable as he had when he was yelling at Darry. Soda was right; Evie must have put him in a better mood.

She began to respond, but he cut her off. "Don't bother telling me you don't know who jumped you, Ellie. You're a worse liar than Sodapop."

"I am not," she argued, trying to keep a straight face. She knew she was as good at lying as Ponyboy was. "I'm a great liar. You should know that by now."

He grinned at her. "Fine, you're usually a good liar. But when you're laid up in a hospital, you're pretty lousy at it."

She couldn't help smile back. "Fine," she conceded.

"Why won't you just tell us that it was that Holden bastard that jumped you?"

The nervous knots that had been eating away at her all evening began to twist again. She could just imagine Ponyboy lying awake in his room, overhearing the conversation, ready to jump to her defense and spill the beans.

"Steve," she pleaded, "would you just drop it? The last time you did something, you got hauled off to jail."

"Aw, Ellie, that was nothin'," he reasoned.

"Then tell me how you're gonna watch out for me if you're behind bars all the time," she suggested.

He was finally quiet, and she knew she had temporarily won that argument.

"Will you just leave things alone?" she asked quietly.

"We'll see," he said. He gave her a nudge in the arm and smiled. "Evie was pretty upset about me gettin' hauled off the football field like that."

"Well, she wasn't the only one," Ellie said quietly, stretching back out on the couch. "I need to get some sleep tonight. Two-Bit told Ponyboy that he has to make up for lost time and hang out with me all day tomorrow."

Steve laughed. "He needs to. You had a whole week off, and you didn't do nothin' about it."

She kicked him in the leg and retorted playfully, "I promise I'll have more fun the next time I'm in the hospital."

As he stretched out on the floor below the couch, he told her, "It ain't going to happen again, El."

"I know," she said, hoping he was right. "It definitely won't if you don't end up in jail again."

He didn't say anything, and Ellie worried she'd taken that too far. Closing her eyes, she said, "I'm sorry, Stevie."

"It's okay, kid."

_I am hanging on every word you say  
__And even if you don't want to speak tonight,  
__That's all right, all right with me._

* * *

**A/N: **It has been a crazy week, sorry for the slow update. It was hard to find the time to work on this what with Lifehouse, ninja duties, the C. Thomas Howell show,_Dirty Dancing, _oh, and school got in the way, too. 


	9. Strong Enough to Break

**Disclaimer: We don't own _The Outsiders_ by SE Hinton, nor do we own "Strong Enough to Break" by Hanson.**

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_I don't feel myself today  
Just a figure in a big monopoly game  
Struggle is the price you pay  
You get just enough just to give it away._

Two-Bit was true to his word and dragged her all over town Friday. Of course the first place he wanted to go was the last place Ellie had wanted to be. She slowed to a near halt as they started through the door of the Dingo. Hearing the bell ring, the everyone seemed to look their way. All eyes landed heavily on the greaser girl that had been jumped about a week earlier. Ellie's feet felt cemented to the floor.

"Go on, kiddo," he said, giving her a gentle nudge across the threshold. "Find us a booth, and I'll get us some food."

Ellie walked slowly down the aisle between the rows of booths, falling into one tiredly as the eyes seemed to follow her. She felt a plunk on the bench beside her and looked up to find Curly grinning at her.

"Hey, El."

"Hi, Curly," she mumbled.

"See you got your stitches out," he observed, actually pointing at her face. "That scar's pretty tough."

"Sure," she muttered, yanking a napkin from the dispenser and carefully shredding it. She saw Two-Bit watching from the counter where he was placing his order. She willed him to hurry up so they could eat and get out of there, but she knew it was never that easy with him.

"You comin' back to school on Monday?" he asked, scooting a little closer to her; closer than she preferred.

"Yeah," she replied. Giving him a sideways glance she asked, "Are you actually going to school on Monday?"

He gave her another grin. "Might if you're gonna be there."

She suppressed a groan and continued to build her pile of napkin shreds.

"There a problem here?"

She looked up to find Two-Bit nearing the table carrying a tray overflowing with food and drinks.

"No problem, man," Curly replied, sitting uncomfortably close to Ellie.

"Then we'll see you later, huh, Shepard?" he suggested, sliding into the booth across from them.

With a glare in Two-Bit's direction, Curly stood up and winked at Ellie. "See ya Monday, El."

She gave him a weak smile in return. The kid never seemed to get a clue, but at least he was impressed by her scar, not mortified by it like she was.

As she furrowed her brow at the gargantuan amounts of food Two-Bit was passing to her, she couldn't help but notice his grin. "What?"

"Man, Curly's got somethin' for you," he laughed through a mouthful of fries.

"Curly has a thing for _every_ girl," she corrected.

Two-Bit shrugged. "At least you got another greaser lookin' out for you. It'll make mine and Steve's jobs easier next week," he added with a wink.

He noticed her face fall as she chewed thoughtfully on her hamburger. "You ain't gonna have any problems next week, kid. You're a big star nowadays," he added.

She tried to hide the smile that played on her lips when he said that, but she couldn't, and he could see it.

"I don't even want to know what you told everybody," she said.

"It was good stuff, I promise, El," he replied, taking another gulp of his Pepsi. "Just tellin' everybody how tuff you are. And it seems to be working, too," he nodded over her shoulder. "All of Shepard's boys seem to eyein' you pretty good right now."

"Sure, all of them," she groaned as she resisted the urge to look over her shoulder.

"Don't sweat it, Ellie," he assured her. "As close as us and their gang is, you'll have your own army when you go back to Will Rogers."

"Are we feedin' the army?" she asked, smiling back at him.

"Nah," he replied, offering her a fistful of fries which she pushed away with a laugh, "We gotta get your strength up for Monday."

She didn't realize just how right he was.

_I'm sinking but I'm floating away  
__Throw me a line so I can anchor my pain._

Ellie had been back to school for three days. Things hadn't been quite as bad as she had expected, but she was positive that any whispering she happened to walk by had something to do with her even though she was never sure. Everyone seemed to look away every time she came in sight, but she could feel their eyes drilling into her back as she walked away. Curly and Two-Bit were right; everybody did seem to know who she was now.

Her entrance into Mr. Leery's class was the thing she had dreaded most over the weekend. Her mother had arranged for her teachers to send her homework to the principal's office, and Ponyboy had been a big help by gathering it for her and bringing it home. Leery was already so impatient with her, she couldn't imagine how irritated he would be if she were late with a week's worth of homework.

Stepping through the doorway Monday morning, with time to spare before the bell rang, Ellie tried to ignore the fact that everyone went deathly silent. Leery noticed, raising his eyes from his notes for the day and looking out over the classroom. Ellie pulled the small stack of papers from her folder and placed them neatly on his desk.

"What's this, Miss O'Hare?" he asked. His voice was softer than it typically was, and that irritated her. Leery wasn't a person she wanted sympathy from, not after the way they had butted heads the whole year.

"My homework," she said, her tone clipped.

Mr. Leery pulled his signature move, peering at her over the rim of his glasses. "You still have a week to finish these, Ellie. The number of days you're out are the number of days you have to make up schoolwork."

"Well, I finished it early, then," she replied, turning to face her classmates and head for her seat. Only a few socs were brave enough to actually stare at her, while everyone else stayed silent, watching their desks. That irritated her, too, but she kept her head held high, her hair hanging casually around her shoulders instead of the ponytail she typically wore.

The silence continued for two more days. By the time Wednesday rolled around, she hadn't wanted someone to make a greaser joke more in all her life. But if she knew how it was going to end up, she would have wished for the silence instead.

_Things keep coming and I keep wondering  
__I start feeling the walls close in._

"Leery's class still going lousy?" Pony asked on Wednesday afternoon, as he and Ellie made their way through the gathering lunch crowds in the cafeteria. Two-Bit and Steve were leaning on the wall on the opposite side of the room, waiting for them so they could head out the side door and so they could go and meet Dally and Johnny at Jay's.

"Yeah," she muttered, trying to balance her English books and keep her bag on her shoulder at the same time. "I figure they'll get tired of being quiet after a while, and it'll be back to normal 'fore long."

She noticed the large crowd of socs they were walking through and kept her head down, staring only at a small area in front of her feet, careful to keep her hair in her face covering her scar. She heard a few socs joking around near her, before one was shoved roughly into her, sending a couple of her books flying.

"Oh, sor-" the soc started to apologize before he looked over and found who it was he ran into. She made the mistake of making eye contact, recognizing the boy as one of Michael's friends that had come into the store the night he jumped her. Glancing past him, she noticed Michael standing not too far away from him, a smirk on his proud, hateful face.

"Well, if it isn't a pretty little greaser girl?" the boy said. Ellie thought his name was David or something similar, not that it made any difference to her. He may as well have been Michael.

He and another soc stepped in front of Ellie and Pony, blocking them between a set of tables as Pony grabbed her arm to pull her away. She raised her chin slightly, only to get an idea of where she was standing and how they could possibly escape. She just hoped like hell that Steve and Two-Bit hadn't gotten tired of waiting on them and decided to meet them at the car.

She watched as Michael picked up her English book that had been knocked out of her arms. Looking at the title, he chuckled before holding it up to his friends gathered behind him. He tossed it back in their direction and Pony caught it before it could hit her arm. "How interesting. Reading a little _Frankenstein_ in honor of Halloween?" he smirked.

David seemed to sense where Michael's comment was headed, and he piped down as the kid standing next to him started up. The taller, tow-headed boy laughed as he reached over and flicked her hair out of her face before she even had a chance to react. "Wait a minute, guys," he said, playing to the crowd that had grown around them. "We got our own Frankenstein right here. What's the scar from, Grease?"

Pony stepped in front of her, trying to shield her from the onslaught of laughter and cruel remarks, but it was too late, Ellie could feel the blood rushing to her face and tried to control the trembling that seemed to have taken over her entire body. It was useless though; the books lying in her arms were visibly shaking. All the time she had spent trying to convince herself these guys didn't matter had been wasted. She couldn't convice herself that she hadn't been scared that night. Not when she faced with it all over again.

_Things keep coming and I keep stumbling  
__I start feeling I'm strong enough to break._

"What's goin' on here, boys?" came a cocky, interested voice.

In all her life, Ellie had never been so happy to hear Two-Bit's voice.

"Get lost, Mathews," demanded the soc that towered next to David.

"Hey, relax...Richard," Two-Bit replied, reading his name off of his Varsity jacket. "Say, Rich, how's your sister doin'?" He gave Richard a big smile.

Richard narrowed his eyes. "What?"

Two-Bit shrugged, keeping the smile on his face. "I was jus' wonderin'. I ain't seen her since our date at the Dingo this weekend."

He narrowed his eyes at Two-Bit. "My sister wouldn't date trash like you."

Two-Bit simply grinned. He leaned closer to Richard, as if to let him in on a little secret, but his voice still boomed, carrying over the lunch hour din as he replied, "Ain't what she told me in the backseat of my car Saturday night."

Richard grabbed Two-Bit by his collar, ready to punch him. However, Steve was faster and grabbed Richard's collar, pulling him away from Two-Bit as roughly as he could.

"I wouldn't if I were you," Steve suggested before shoving him back into his friends, sending a few of them back into the table behind them.

David and Richard were in Steve and Two-Bit's faces in no time with Michael behind them, ready to jump in at any given chance. Pony had his hand on Ellie's back, trying to lead her out of the fight. He could feel her shaking violently, and he tightened his grip on her shoulder as they made it to the edge of the crowd. Once outside the herd of boys, he spotted Curly and Slick Rick Bradley making their way into the ring to join the fight. Curly spotted Ellie and gave her a wink before shoving a few other socs out of the way.

Pony groaned to himself as he saw that the huge gang of boys, both socs and greasers, had multipled in only a matter of minutes.

"What's goin' on here?" boomed a voice over the shouting boys.

The gym teacher, Coach Newsome, stood towering behind the group of teenagers. "You boys better not be fightin'." While it should have been a statement for the entire group, he was staring daggers at Two-Bit and Steve who were right in the middle of the ruckus.

"I don't know, Coach," Richard said, plastering a look of innocence on his face as he straightend his jacket "You'd have to ask these fellas over here."

Two-Bit couldn't help but mock Richard's sudden change in tone. "Golly, Coach, we were just tryin' to have a nice lunch with these fine, upstanding young men-"

"That's enough, Mathews," he barked. He studied him for a moment. "Aren't you supposed to be suspended?"

He gave him a toothy grin. "No, sir," he replied. "That was last week."

Newsome shook his head in disgust. "Get outta here, all of you," he demanded, speaking only to the greasers that were present.

Two-Bit bowed his head slightly to David, Michael and Richard before walking away. "Nice seein' you boys again. We'll have to catch up sometime."

Newsome seemed satisfied with their exit as the other greasers slowly backed off too. He turned back in the direction of the gym, looking anxious to get back there quickly. Word around school was that he had been guarding the sports equipment like a hawk.

Michael clapped Richard on the back once Newsome was out of earshot and said loud enough for Steve and Two-Bit to hear, "'Frankenstein?' Good one, Rich."

"It was too easy," Richard replied, smirking at the back of Steve and Two-Bit's heads as they walked away.

Two-Bit turned quickly on his heel, meeting their cold stares and itching to whip out his switch and teach them a lesson about messing with his friends. "Y'all ain't got nothin' better to do then mess with a greaser girl?" he spat. "And here all along, I thought you was all big, tough football players."

"Nah, they're just a bunch of pussies. Can't pick a fight with somebody their own size," Steve added, pushing Two-Bit along and scanning the cafeteria for Ellie and Pony. He finally spotted them standing near the side door, her back to the scene.

"You all right?" Two-Bit asked when they finally reached them.

She shrugged as she tried to hold her head high. "Can we just get outta here?"

"Yeah," Steve said, looking at Ponyboy. He and Two-Bit had only seen the commotion; they hadn't heard any thing that had started the fight. Standing slightly behind Ellie, Pony held up the book for Steve to read the title. Even without Pony pointing subtly to his cheek, Steve put two and two together.

Wrapping an arm around Ellie's shoulders, he could feel her shaking like a leaf. As he led her out the doors, he swore he felt shoulders shake a little harder, and he wondered if she was crying. Two-Bit grabbed a couple of her books from her hands and sauntered alongside them.

Ponyboy glanced back at the cafeteria, seeing everyone sitting at their tables. Michael was laughing with his buddies like nothing had happened, and Pony paused at the door, wondering if he was laughing at Ellie's expense or if they had already moved on to tormenting someone else. Studying him from the doorway, he wondered just how much it hurt her that Michael was her cousin. She had never let on about it before, not even when she had told him could he tell what she was really feeling. She hid it well, but he knew that it would have been much easier to shrug off if he were just some anonymous soc like Richard. Maybe then it wouldn't have mattered so much.

Jogging outside to catch up with the others, he realized why Ellie was so hellbent on keeping that knowledge from everyone else. The boys wouldn't take kindly to that and they were already high strung as it was when it came to socs. They didn't need another reason to look for a fight, and Ellie knew that and that was why she would never tell the rest of them.

_The fabric is about to fray  
__Maybe you could take  
__A look at yourself lately.

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A/N: Thanks for the reviews and comments! Hopefully the alerts and replies have been working on here lately!_

Thanks for catching the Rusty's error, Jen! You get extra ninja frosting this week.


	10. Invincible

**Disclaimer: We do not own _The Outsiders _by SE Hinton, nor do we own "Invincible" by Crossfade.**

**Warnings: Language**

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_I memorized all the words for you,  
__But if you only knew how much that's just not like me.  
__I wait up late every night just to hear your voice,  
__But you don't know that's nothing like me._

Ellie sank into the old, tattered backseat of Two-Bit's car and stared hopelessly out the window. The others said nothing, even Two-Bit, who quietly started the car and pulled out of the parking lot. They were angry, but Steve took one look at her and was afraid she might burst into tears if one word was mentioned about it.

With the tense silence bearing down on them, Steve turned to Two-Bit. "How'd you know that soc had a sister?"

Two-Bit gave him a half-hearted grin. "Lucky guess. Seems like all them big-time socs have little sisters. You sure can bet I'm gonna try to find out who she is, though. It'll eat him up if he sees me tryin' to hang around her."

Steve returned the grin. "Sure will."

"You ain't gonna do nothin' to her, are you?" Ponyboy asked nervously, his eyes darting anxiously from Ellie beside him to the boys in the front seat.

Two-Bit met his gaze in the rearview mirror with a quick grin. "Shoot, no, kid. Maybe just make her blush a little bit. That'll be enough to ruffle some feathers."

Pony sat back in his seat, somewhat content with his answer. He wondered what Ellie thought about it, though, her face displayed nothing. She was lost in a thought, watching the scenery fly by.

"Quit worryin'," Steve said, glancing back at them as he braced himself for the turn into the parking lot. "We ain't going to pull the same shit they think they can get away with."

Two-Bit turned into the crowded lot of Jay's on two wheels, making Ellie's stomach flip and the very thought of food made her feel even more nauseous. She stayed put as the other three got out of the car.

"C'mon, El," Steve encouraged, hanging on the open car door and looking down at her. "Get your mind off it."

She still only sat there, so Steve leaned into the backseat, and grabbing her by the upper arms, pulled her out of the car. He pushed her in front of him and directed her to the diner.

"Wait up, guys!"

They turned to see Johnny calling to them with Dally sauntering along beside him. Tossing his cigarette butt to the ground, Dally eyed Ellie who hadn't turned when Johnny called to them. He glanced at Steve, wondering what had happened for all of them to look so out of sorts. Steve only shook his head slightly and nodded toward her, hoping Dally wouldn't force the conversation in front of her.

Looking into the busy diner, Dally told Steve, "I'm gonna go see if they got an empty table."

"Yeah," Steve acknowledged, following him inside, shooting Pony a look as the bell rang above the threshold. Pony understood well enough and joined Ellie and Johnny where they sat on the low brick ledge up against the diner's picture window.

"All right. What's up with you guys?" Dally asked, irritated as Steve scanned the restaurant for an empty table, and Two-Bit flicked out his prized switch. "Steve?"

Steve glanced at him nervously, wishing like hell he had a cigarette or something to keep himself occupied. Dally's eyes were already blazing, and he didn't even have a clue as to what had happened. Steve didn't want to be the one to tell him, but seeing as how Two-Bit was suddenly too concerned with his reflection in his switchblade, he wasn't left with much of a choice.

"Some socs thought it'd be funny to mess with El and Pony," he told him, trying to keep his voice as even as possible despite the fact he was livid himself.

"Shit," Dally cursed. "Was it Holden?"

Two-Bit shrugged. "Well, he was there, but he didn't do nothin'. He let his buddies handle it all. Well, at least while me and Steve were there."

"What happened, then?" Dally asked shortly.

"They trapped 'em in between some tables and hasseled her some. Makin' fun of her mostly," Two-Bit explained vaguely catching dangerous gleam in Dally's eyes. He was wishing like hell a table would open up so he could make a mad dash for it.

"What'd they call her?" Dally demanded, turning and watching her through the window.

Two-Bit put his switch back in his pocket as he said, "Frankenstein."

"Well, ain't that so fuckin' original?" Dally grimaced. "What'd she do?"

"I think it scared her some," Steve told him. "Kid was shakin' like a leaf walking out of there. We coulda had ourselves a nice fight if Newsome hadn't pushed into it."

Steve clenched his fist and tried to imagine all of those socs on their way to the floor of the cafeteria as he and Two-Bit smashed their faces in. They sure wouldn't have the balls to even glance in her direction again if he could only get his hands on them.

"Yeah, well, we'll just have to do something 'bout this," Dally said, running a hand easily through his ungreased hair.

"What've you got in mind?" Two-Bit asked, cocking an eyebrow in interest and putting his switch back in his pocket.

"I could pay a visit to ol' Will Rogers this afternoon, make myself some new friends," Dally said, feeling his adreneline kick up with the thought of a fight.

"Kick some heads in?" Steve asked, a bitterly amused smile forming across his face.

"That could be a real swell time," Two-Bit acknowledged, "but I'm gonna let you two have this one. I'm more in line to see into Mr. Socs' little sister. I'll have your backs, though. You can be sure of that."

"Just let me have Holden," Dally told them. "That motherfucker is mine."

Two-Bit put his hands up defensively. "All yours there, Dal. I wouldn't take that dream away from you."

Dally grunted something inaudible and pushed the door open, stepping back outside.

"Find a table?" Johnny asked, standing and ready to head inside.

"Nope, Johnnycake," Steve replied from behind Dally. "Unless we wanna wait for one."

Ellie stood up and looked at Dally, her gaze heavy and tired. "Can you just walk me home?"

Dally mentally cursed her, and lit up a cigarette and finally replied, "Sure, kid."

"You're going to skip your afternoon classes?" Two-Bit asked, surprised and a little dismayed.

"Yeah, I just don't feel like goin' back right now," she told him listlessly.

Pony hopped off the ledge and asked, "You want me to grab your homework for you?"

She shook her head as Dally walked up beside her, "No, I'll just get it tomorrow."

"Okay. You gonna be over tonight?" Pony called to her as she started across the parking lot with Dally who looked at Steve and Two-Bit, his hot glare warning him not to make a move without him.

She turned, shrugged and offered him a limp wave as they headed off down the street.

"See you later, Dal?" Steve called.

Glancing over his shoulder, Dally shot him a grin. "Tomorrow mornin'. Bright an' early."

Ellie looked up at him but didn't say anything. Dallas Winston was no 'bright an' early' kind of guy.

_You know I wonder have you already figured out,  
__All these things that I tried to hide?_

Ellie was quiet for most of the walk, and Dally was having a hell of a time trying to think of something to say that wouldn't end up with them fighting. He couldn't believe he actually cared if they fought, but he'd never seen her like this. It was just a name. What the hell did that matter?

He heard her groan as she stopped on the sidewalk. Following her gaze, he saw the truck parked in the driveway of her house. Jimmy was home.

"What the hell is he doin' home?" he asked.

"I don't know. Home for lunch maybe?" she guessed. "I don't want him to know I ditched, Dal. He'll just get on my case about it."

Dally turned and faced her. There was something hopelessly desperate about the way she was looking at him. He looked up and across the street, thinking about just walking over to the Curtises, but trying to think of a place that could bring a bit more solitude. He wanted to get it out of her, and she seemed just upset enough to finally tell him.

"Come on," he said, placing a hand on the back of her neck. "I got somewhere we can go."

_All this time I've been hoping you don't find out,  
All these things that I hide on the inside._

He pushed the front door open and was instantly bombarded by the lingering cigarette smoke and the acrid smell of hard liquor. Dally was halfway across the makeshift bar of Buck's when he realized she wasn't beside him anymore. Turning around, he saw her standing just beside the jukebox, an arm wrapped around her middle and staring cautiously across the room where Buck and a few of his buddies were playing a game of pool.

"You wanna stand there all day long, kid?" he asked. When she didn't move, he walked back across the room. He reached out and took her hand in his. "Come on, El," he said casually.

Throwing a wave to Buck, he pulled her upstairs and led her to the room he more or less owned as long as he kept riding the ponies well.

She slipped her hand out of his, and Dally watched her closely as she crossed the room, taking it in with a sigh before she sat down on the edge of the bed. After the squeaks and scrapes of the springs settled she looked over at him and asked, "What now?"

Shrugging, he asked, "Why don't you tell me why you actually give a shit about this soc calling you a fucking name?"

She only shrugged and looked away, studying her hands and trying to ignore the somersaults in her stomach.

"Then why are you so upset about it?" he asked, trying to keep a rope on his impatience.

He didn't understand it for the life of him. Everyone on their side of town got called names, and it just wasn't a big deal. How many times had any of them been called 'greaser' by a soc or something worse by their own parents? It didn't fucking matter. She'd been through it all before. It wasn't anything new.

"I'm not upset," she told him, her tone less than convincing.

"It's just a fuckin' name. It don't mean nothing," he spat.

Her head snapped up, and she told him matter-of-factly, "It don't bother me, okay? You got a listening problem, Dally."

"And you got a lyin' problem, El," he replied.

"This was why I didn't want to go back to school today," she said, ignoring his comment. "I don't wanna talk about it. It don't bother me, but I don't wanna talk about it. Can you understand that?"

"Is that why you couldn't go back to class, and why your hair's hangin' in your face like that?" he pointed out crudely. "That it, Frankenstein?"

Her eyes narrowed angrily, but he could see the tears glistening in them. He instantly regretted saying that, which wasn't a feeling he was used to.

"Come here," he said as he reached and grabbed her arms. She tried to fight him off, but he was stronger and pulled her to her feet. Pulling her closer, until they stood only about a foot apart, he said, "Guess it bothers you, huh?"

"Just drop it, Dallas," she begged him quietly, the same hopelessness saturating her words filled her eyes as well.

"They're just socs, El. Why do you let it get to you? They don't even fucking matter," he told her bitterly, giving her a shake. "How many times have they fucking called you 'greaser?' Huh?"

She diverted her eyes, and Dally took her face in his hands, forcing her to look at him. The bruises were faded, but still lingered as they took their merry time healing. Brushing her hair back, he laid his thumb over her scar, covering it completely. "I told you that you could hardly see it, Ellie. It's nothing."

"It's everything," she said quietly, the tears building up.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked. She confused he hell out of him.

She shook her head and laid her palms against his chest, trying with all of her might to push him away from her.

"You know better than anybody that those socs don't mean shit," he told her, standing solid against her attempt to push him back.

"Yeah?" she asked. "Well, it wasn't you they cornered and embarrassed in front of the whole school, was it?"

"It scared you, too," he pointed out.

"I ain't scared," she snapped, balling her fist and hitting him as hard as she could in the chest.

Dally hardly felt it, but he finally relented to her shoving as she relented to her tears, wiping them away angrily as they slipped down her cheeks. He had seen plenty of girls cry- even Sylvia a handful of times- but this was different. She wasn't crying to make somebody feel sorry for her and make a scene, and it certainly wasn't to get anyone's attention like those other girls liked to do. It was easier for him to respond to those girls and their phony tears, but Dallas was at a loss when it came to anything sincere.

"I have to go," she said hastily, wiping fiercely at her cheeks. Before she could make it far, though, he grabbed her arm and pulled her back.

"Where to?" he asked, his hand clenched tightly around her arm. "Home, so Jimmy can smack you around for cutting class? Or you gonna walk around town all by your lonesome, Genius? Get jumped again?"

"Let go of me," she snapped, but Dally held his ground, refusing to loosen his grip. "I'm sure that would be better than staying here. They're all in school anyway, so what's it matter?"

She nearly stumbled backwards as Dally suddenly let go of her arm, only to move his hand to her back and pull her closer. She nearly lost her balance completely when his lips came crushing down on hers. She wanted to kiss him back and slap him for being such an inconsiderate jerk, both at the same time. Instead, she only stood there, transfixed and confused, angry and nervous, until he pulled away from her.

Ellie was at a loss for words as Dally took a step back, a scowl on his face, despite the fact that he had just kissed her.

"Then _go,_ Princess," he suggested, pointing at the door.

Finding her tongue, she stepped back up to him. Her words were sharp, but her tone was broken up with confusion and intrigue. "Is that supposed to make things better? Kissing me after everybody calls me Frankenstein is supposed to make it all better?"

Dally gave her a wistful smile. "Never promised to make nothing better, kid. But it ain't easy to get you to shut up sometimes. And that sure worked, didn't it?"

"You're an asshole, you know that?" she asked, knowing full well that he did.

He shrugged. "Never said I wasn't, did I?" He took a step closer to her and smirked to himself when she didn't retreat. "Get your mind of it?"

His smirk turned into a grin as her own frown slowly turned into a straight line, trying to hold back a smile. "For a second, yeah," she agreed quietly, her cheeks turning pink.

"Well, then," he replied, leaning closer to her. "I guess it did work, huh?"

He was surprised when she wrapped her hands around the back of his neck and pulled him closer as her lips hesitantly brushed his. Dallas didn't question it, and wrapping his arms around her, he kissed her back.

In all the years he had known her, there was something that amused him about pushing her buttons, trying to irritate her or get some sort of response out of her, just to see how far she would let him go. She had been talked into stealing hubcaps with Steve and even getting her to start smoking was something he pushed her into. The kiss had been nothing more. A way to get her to shut up and take her mind off of it. It amused him that while he had only been toeing that line with the only girl he was actually _friends_ with, and here she was, stepping over that same line like it didn't even exist.

_I can't be held responsible,  
__This is all so new to me,  
__Just when I think I'm invincible,  
__You come and happen to me._

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**A/N: Is Dally really only pushing her buttons, or is it the frosting at work? ;-)**


	11. All in All

**Disclaimer: We don't own _The Outsiders_ by SE Hinton, nor do we own "All in All" by Lifehouse.**

_

* * *

__Standing on top of the edge  
__It feels like it's going down.  
__Everything stays in my mind,  
__Feeling in a daze on the ground._

As evening began settling in, Dally slowly set his feet on the floor from where they were propped on the dresser. Standing up from the old rocking chair, he crossed the small room. He sat down next to the tiny ball Ellie had rolled herself into on top of the blankets. He noticed her skirt and blouse were wrinkled from sleeping in them all afternoon, as he spent the time staring out the window and thinking about his plans with the guys the next day. He hoped Shepard would be around Buck's later. He was considering bringing some of his boys in, even though he knew he, Steve and Two-Bit could handle it. The socs were going to learn that they couldn't mess with an East Side girl and get away with it.

"Hey, kid," he grunted, giving her a nudge in the shoulder. She stirred quietly as he lit a cigarette. "Better get you home."

"I guess so," she said, her voice hoarse from sleep.

Walking down the creaking staircase, Ellie became suddenly conscious of the wrinkles in her clothes and what they implied. She was thankful it was a Wednesday night, and there were only a handful of people sitting around the bar. She quickly diverted her eyes when she noticed Sylvia was one of them. She and Ellie had never gotten along much at all, and being seen coming down the stairs at Buck's usually suggested only one thing. Ellie knew that much without ever having to step foot inside the place.

"Hi, Dal," Sylvia cooed from her perch on the bar stool, pointedly ignoring Ellie.

Ellie studied her and couldn't help but feel like a stick compared to Sylvia's curvy figure. She was overdone but pretty nonetheless. She wasn't sure why Dally kissed her, or why he had seemed so willing to give up a girl as experienced and notorious as he was for a simple girl like Ellie.

Even as they were kissing a few hours earlier, she had doubted that they meant much of anything. She wondered if she should quit worrying when he wrapped an arm around her waist and snapped, "What d'you want?"

She couldn't help but glance at Sylvia as they walked past, her blood red lips forming an 'O' in her surprise. The same painted eyes she had just batted at Dally were now boring holes through Ellie who couldn't help the little smile on her face.

_Feels like it's gonna give,  
__Life's too hard to live anymore._

Tim had been around Buck's, but he had already taken off in his T-Bird for the evening, so Ellie and Dally resorted to walking. The air had turned cold since the afternoon, as fall was setting in once and for all. Dally walked closely beside her as they neared her house, and he wondered how she was going to act after the way they'd kissed and pretty much made out. She had never seemed clingy about much before, but she was a broad, after all. A guy never knew how one would react after they crossed a certain boundary. Sometimes even the toughest chicks were overbearing, Sylvia being a prime example for that. He hoped he wouldn't have to beat Ellie off with a stick after that day.

With her house being dark and quiet for once, Ellie led the way to the front door. She turned and looked up at him, leaning back on the door jamb. "What happens next?" she asked timidly.

Mentally cursing himself, he ran a hand through his hair. He was an idiot for kissing her. Of course she was going to be clinging to him after all of that. The only thing he could do was pretend to be baffled by her question. "What're you talkin' about?"

She crossed her arms in front of her. "You know what I'm talking about."

"Ain't got a clue, El," he replied, feeling his pockets for his pack of cigarettes. He cursed low and under his breath when he realized he'd left them sitting up on the dresser at Buck's.

"Tomorrow. What are you and Steve and Two-Bit planning?" She narrowed her eyes when he shrugged, feigning innocence. He was never innocent. "C'mon, Dal. You were so eager last week to knock some heads together, and now you're gonna try to tell me that you guys ain't planning nothing?"

He let a genuine smile cross his face. She was smarter than he gave her credit for sometimes. He was just relieved that was what she was talking about. He didn't want to have to dump her in the same day he kissed her. "Don't you worry your pretty little head about it," he said, leaning closer to her.

She moved before he could get close enough to kiss her, giving him a faceful of hair. "You're gonna get yourselves-and me- into a lot of trouble with all of this," she told him, pushing the front door open.

"You worry 'bout us too much, kid," he told her. She shook her head disapprovingly before she slammed the door in his face.

"Yeah, 'cause no one else does," she sighed to herself, leaning against the inside of the door, hoping like hell they didn't do anything profoundly stupid.

_It's going to be just fine,  
__You're holding on,  
__Holding on today._

The smoke hung in the air, clouding the small kitchen in a blue haze that would have suffocated anyone under a pack a day. The plan was laid; simple, effective and capable of bigger things.

"You really gonna just bust in an' do that, Dal?" Soda asked from where he leaned against a counter. "She's gonna try and beat the hell out of you if you do."

"I think he can handle it, Soda," Steve interjected. "She ain't exactly the fighter type."

"She can get pretty feisty, though. Anyway, don't you think she won't say nothing 'cause she don't want you to do nothin' about it?" He stole a glance at Pony who had been quiet for the duration of the planning. He knew Ellie better than anyone, and he had told him one night how much she didn't want them to get involved. "I mean I know it's a big deal and all, but still, she ain't stupid. She's gotta have a reason."

"She'll get over it," Dally said, stubbing out his cigarette into an ashtray on the table. "We can't just do nothin', no matter how much she don't want anyone to."

"But do you gotta start it at the high school?" Johnny asked, looking at Steve who gave him a nonchalant shrug.

"Why not?" Two-Bit asked. "'Sides, we're only gonna scare 'em a little. At the school anyway. You know we'll piss 'em off enough to get 'em to wanna rumble where it'll be a fair fight. If they can handle that."

"Yeah, we gotta hit them on their own turf. Anyway, fightin' at school ain't going to be as big a deal then fighting on the street," Steve added. "If we can get a rumble organized, ain't no one going to end up in the cooler."

"So you were listening to her," Pony piped up. Steve's glare was cold, but he knew Pony was right. "What if Greene or someone calls the fuzz at school? She told you she didn't want anyone in the cooler over this."

"If we get the cooler, it ain't gonna be long," Dally told him.

"What about the rodeo this weekend, Dally?" Pony asked. He noticed his cockiness falter momentarily before he shrugged it off.

"Worse that could happen is I'm in there overnight. Even if it's two nights, I'm out by Saturday, which is when I'm racin' anyway," he reasoned, coolly.

"She's still gonna be awful mad," Soda pitched in.

"Who cares if she gets pissed about it?" he said, leaning his chair back on two legs. "She'll get over it. Ain't we doin' this for her, after all?"

"Ever seen her get pissed off, Dal?" Two-Bit asked, a crazy grin on his face. "She's kinda scary when she is."

"She's this big," Dally said, raising a hand to his eye level as he put the chair back on all four legs. "What is she gonna do to me?"

Steve laughed. "She'll probably do what all broads do. She'll yell at you and then try to claw your eyes out."

They all laughed, all except Pony who knew why she didn't want anyone to do anything about it. He gave a moment's thought to telling them to back off and give them the full story, but he bit his tongue. He couldn't do that to her. Besides, it would probably make them angrier than they already were. They didn't need more of a reason to seek out the fight, they were motivated enough as it was. He wondered if he should at least try to warn her before it all happened. He didn't know how he could manage it, though, riding to school with Steve and Two-Bit.

"Don't say nothing to her, Pony," Steve warned, as if he were reading his mind.

They were all looking at him, all of them saying the same thing with the even glare in their eyes. Dally's eyes spoke the loudest, sending a quick chill down his spine. He'd rather not get in Dally's way, not with his eyes the way they were right then. He quickly decided that Ellie would get over it.

"I won't," he said dutifully. "But all you're gonna do is make her mad."

"She'll deal," Dally told him.

"Yeah, yeah," Pony muttered.

_Salt and tears in the minds,  
__In the mouths of a bad decision._

Two-Bit and Steve led the way through the parking lot the next morning, with Ponyboy looking around anxiously and Ellie hanging back slightly. With Pony so jumpy and the other two so cocky, she knew whatever was going to happen was probably not what she wanted.

As she opened her mouth to say something to Pony, two strong hands clamped down on her shoulders. The sudden contact scared her half to death and she tried to not jump a mile in the air.

"Hey, kid," Dally whispered huskily into her ear, causing her to blush and pull her head away when Steve looked back at them.

"What're you doing here?" she groaned. The thought of Dallas Winston in the halls of Will Rogers High was a walking contradiction. Dally didn't belong there, and she knew it wouldn't be good once he got inside the building.

Dally shrugged. "Missed ol' Will Rogers, I guess. And I thought while I was here, I could walk you to a couple classes." She raised an eyebrow, her lips curved in a disapproving frown. Noticing her skepticism, he grinned over her head at Two-Bit and Steve. "And if I just so happen to run into a few socs," he added, "it'll be like reminiscin'."

"Like at the football game? Dally…" she pleaded as he entered the building in front of her. She was immediately drown out by the buzz of students milling about. The three older boys swiftly led the way down the hall, and Ellie grabbed Pony's shirt and pulled him beside her. "Did you know about all of this?"

Pony offered her a half-hearted shrug, and Ellie could see the guilt splashed across his face.

"What'd you want me to do about it?" he asked, picking up the pace to catch up with them. "Their minds are made up."

"How many times?" she growled under her breath closing the distance as Steve led the way to her locker. Her face flushed darker with every soc Dally _accidentally_ knocked shoulders with.

Leaning beside her locker, he told them, "Man, I guess I didn't miss this place much, after all."

Ellie grabbed her books quickly, hoping to get Dallas out of the school before something happened.

"Hey baby," Two-Bit drawled.

Ellie turned just as a girl with dark brown, curly hair walked past them. She watched Two-Bit look her up and down slowly send a wink her way. The girl just wrinkled her nose and walked faster.

"That our boy, Rich's, sister?" Steve asked, also staring after the girl.

"Ah, and there's our boys right there," Two-Bit said, nodding down the hallway. "Shall we?"

"Guys," Ellie begged as she saw all three of them looking down the hallway. She noticed another group of greasers standing on the other side of the socs, as if they had all somehow diagrammed it all out. Curly Shepard stood near the edge of the group, and she realized Dally really must have planned the whole thing out. She groaned loudly as her friends started toward the group of socs with a stride becoming of a hood, and Shepard's gang watched closely, waiting for their cue.

Ellie dashed after them, Pony on her heels, and tried to cut in front of them and steer them away. Dally easily pushed her behind him and strode up to the socs as Two-Bit and Steve stood behind him, happily waiting to help him out.

"How's it goin', fellas?" he asked, a dangerous smirk on his face.

The smiles quickly turned into scowls for all the socy boys. "Whaddya want, Grease?" asked one of the sharply dressed boys.

Dally shrugged nonchalantly. "Just wonderin' why you boys wanna go around pickin' fights with girls. What's the matter? Ain't man enough to fight someone your own size?"

The smile that had been dancing on his lips turned sour, and he was suddenly seething with pure hatred. She backed up next to Pony as Dally picked Michael out of the crowd and scruffed him. Two-Bit scruffed Richard and Steve grabbed the collar of another guy trying to get to Dally. They pinned them roughly against the wall. The commotion caught the attention of just about everyone, while Curly and a few of his friends also stepped in.

In the confines of the narrow hallway, little fighting was actually occurring in the midst of the yelling, threatening, and scuffling of feet that echoed down the hall. A few teachers stepped in, trying to break up the fight as best they could without getting themselves in the middle of it all. Dally was reluctant to let go, but he backed off when a familiar voice boomed over the fighting.

"Knock it off!" Principal Greene shouted. Most of the onlookers scattered, leaving the small guilty party along with Ellie and Pony. "What's going on here?"

Michael straightened his jacket and shoved past Dally. Standing square with Greene, he started pointing fingers. "These hoodlums attacked us for no reason. Ain't the first time, either."

"I see," he replied, scanning over the hodge podge of students before him. He scowled when he noticed the familiar face of a former student amongst the crowd.

Checking at his watch, he warned the onlooking socs, "Get to class this moment before I suspend all of you from next week's football game." Looking at Michael and the others directly involved in the fight. "And that means you three. I'm not excusing any tardies."

With only a second's hesitation, Michael and his friends headed off in different directions. Michael made it a point to knock shoulders with Dally and stare coldly at Ellie as she watched him go. Two-Bit, Steve and Pony all stayed put as Greene glared at Dally.

The principal stepped over to Dally. "If I remember correctly, and I know I do, you were expelled a couple of years ago. Were you not?"

Dally looked at him smugly and leaned back into the lockers. "And I wouldn't even be here if you weren't a prick with your head up your ass."

"I see you haven't grown up at all or stopped associating with Keith Mathews?" he insulted with affluent expertise.

He glanced over his shoulder only to have Two-Bit wave at him. Shaking his head, he noticed Ponyboy and Ellie still standing against the wall.

"Get to class before you're late." He hesitated momentarily before he nodded at Two-Bit and Steve. "All of you. Except for you, Dallas," he said, grabbing his collar. "You've got a parole officer, haven't you? I bet he'd like to hear from me."

As he began to lead a grumbling Dally towards his office, Ellie stepped in front of him, much to the surprise of everyone, including herself.

"Mr. Greene," she said quietly, trying to keep her head held high and her voice even. "All of this is my fault."

The same look of confusion crossed all of their faces, including Mr. Greene. "How's that, Ms. O'Hare?"

Wringing her hands, she could feel her face begin to flush. "Well, sir, a couple boys ran into me in the cafeteria yesterday, and my friends thought they were picking a fight with me." Her face began burning hotter as she noticed Greene wasn't staring at her; he was looking at her scar. Rumors really got around at Will Rogers. "They were just trying to look out for me. I guess it was all a big misunderstanding."

He studied her for a moment, digesting her words and her tone. Despite his efforts, he didn't hear any note of sarcasm or mockery that seemed to accompany most of Two-Bit's friends.

After a slight hesitation, he released Dally's collar. "It seems to be your lucky day, Mr. Winston. You seem to have an honest friend after all. But I expect you out of here and off the property in the next minute. And if I ever catch you in my school again, the police are going to be the first to get a call from me." Glancing at Two-Bit and Steve, he warned, "And if I catch you two fighting again, I'll see about getting you expelled just like your friend over there."

They all stood there staring at him, wondering if they were actually off the hook. "Get to class now, before I change my mind."

Greene walked away, and Two-Bit gave Ellie a gentle clap on the back. "Look at you, getting us all out of trouble like that."

Dallas was grinning at her, and she shrugged Two-Bit off as she said hotly, "Leave, Dallas, 'fore you cause any more trouble. You guys gotta stop this shit," she added. "Now I'm probably gonna be late again 'cause of you hotheads."

Dally, Steve and Two-Bit watched her in amusement as she jogged down the hallway, and Pony wore an I-told-you-so look on his face that was completely lost on the three of them.

_With all your faults,  
__It isn't your fault what's going on._

Ellie's feet felt like two blocks of cement as she made her way to Leery's class. The bell had yet to sound for the morning, but she knew it was close since most of the halls had already cleared out. How she was actually going to be on time was beyond her. She took a deep breath as she neared the open door. Squaring her shoulders, she hesitated when she heard the murmuring from inside the classroom.

"She ain't even a grease, anymore," one boy commented.

"Ain't Frankenstein a little harsh, though?" came a girl's voice. Ellie cautiously glanced through the doorway, seeing the girl play with her short, dark hair as she stood next to a small group of socs leaning on desks and chatting before class began.

"Have you _seen_ that scar on her face?" added another girl, a pretty blonde.

"Rich almost started a rumble in the middle of the cafeteria yesterday," the boy informed them with a laugh.

The small group around him chuckled, too, oblivious to her presence only a few yards away.

The bell rang loudly, scaring the living daylights out of her. Mr. Leery cleared his throat over the other kids' chatter, and she shrank back slowly when she noticed him looking in her direction.

"Care to join us, Miss O'Hare?" he asked quietly.

The other students rustled their papers noisily, embarrassed to be caught by both Ellie and Leery.

She stepped further back into the hallway, giving him a slight shake of the head. She wasn't going back in there if she could help it, no matter how many detentions he piled up for her. She was surprised when he gave her a curt nod, turning his full attention back to the class.

A small grin tugged at her lips when she heard him reprimand the class as she made her way down the hall.

"This is history class, Mr. Sheldon, not a chance to catch up on your gossip." His lecture was briefly interrupted by broken laughter. "If you can't tell the difference, I'll see you in detention, and I'll explain it to you. That goes for the rest of you as well."

_I think I've had enough things too tough  
__I'm out the door._

Pushing open the first side door she found, Ellie stepped outside. She had no desire to go back to school that day or the rest of the week for that matter, but the guys would be worried if she didn't show by lunchtime. So she headed to the front parking lot, hoping she could wait in Two-Bit's car until they were out of class.

Walking through the line of cars, she heard a shrill horn sound. Glancing up, she spotted a familiar red T-Bird zooming towards her.

"You want a ride, Dollface?"

"I thought Greene insisted you get off school property," she said, her anger still boiling.

Dallas shrugged as he drove slowly alongside her. "I think it was more of a suggestion than a direct order. 'Sides, I never listened to him when I came here. No need to start now." He hit the brakes and put the car in park. "Let me take you somewhere, kid."

Ellie hesitated for only a moment before tossing her bag in the backseat and walking around the car. Even if she was mad at him, the prospect of getting away from Will Rogers was too tempting. She slid in beside him, and he tossed an arm over the seat. "You makin' this a habit? Not going to school?"

She gave him a sideways glance. "I'm goin' back after lunch. Forget about that. When did you ever come here? I don't even remember."

"I came for a few days, 'fore me and Shepard got kicked out together," he told her. "I don't think I was ever supposed to go, though."

"Yeah, and you shouldn't have come back, Dallas," she said, irritation tugging at each word.

In his mind, he was smiling. She was pissed, just like Pony had said she would be, but she wasn't going to try and claw his eyes out as Steve said. Dallas had a career of making her mad, and sometimes she would try to get physical with the occasional punch to the arm, but most of the time he hardly felt anything at all. He had his mind made up that if she had been a guy, she would be one hell of a fighter. But she wasn't, and Dally had other ways of settling fights with her, which usually led to her ignoring him until she was no longer mad. However, his newest truce was by far his favorite.

Pulling the car into a nearby parking lot, he shifted it into park and leaned back into the door, watching her. She had a glare so hot, it could melt you midstep, but Dallas was impervious to it. Glory, but he loved it when she got angry. He knew he was going to start liking it all the more, too.

"And why is that, Miss Priss?" he grinned.

"I told you just lay off, Dally. I wasn't kidding," she said pointedly.

"Yeah, this whole fuckin' thing is just one big joke to me, ain't it?" he asked, reaching for a cigarette. He lit up, scaping the match across his Christopher medal and taking a deep drag.

Ellie sighed. She couldn't figure out how he kept making her feel bad about all of it when it was his own fault for starting these fights. "Dal, I know it ain't a joke to you, but no one's listening to me. I don't want you or anyone else going after these guys just 'cause they called me a name."

"And put you in the fuckin' hospital, El," he said, sitting up. "And put that damn scar on your face. You play this whole goddamn thing off like it happens everyday. What the fuck is your problem?"

Her eyes got hot again, and she swung her head around to look at him.

"My problem is that you can't keep your head for shit, and you'll just end up killin' him. Then you'll be in jail for the rest of your life," she shouted, despite the confines of the T-Bird. "It's stupid, Dally, and I'd rather have you guys around here than rotting in some jail cell."

"So it was him then? Holden?" he asked, hardly considering her plea.

"Dally," she sighed frustratedly, resting her head against the back of the seat. "For my sake, please drop it before things get any worse than they already are."

"Worse than they already are," he repeated. "Well, ain't that funny."

"Please, just shut up," she snapped, popping her head up. "Like I didn't have enough people hating me, now I'm gonna have Greene watching me like a hawk 'cause of you. "

"He's an asshole," Dally said, pointing out the blatently obvious.

"No shit. Leery's an asshole, too," she said, despite the fact he seemed to suddenly have so much pity for her. If anything, it made her all the more bitter. "And all of them socs that started this and -"

His lips were suddenly on hers, his arms wrapping around her back tightly, pulling her into him. It was quiet for the first time since she got in the car. Ellie wasted no time kissing him back, but the pressure he was putting on her sides caused her to wince and pull away from him.

Despite the way she was holding her sides, Dally wore a self-satisfied smirk. They could fight until the end of time if every fight could end like that.

"You okay?" he asked, finally as she caught her breath. He was certain she hadn't lost it from her ribs that were still aching.

She nodded. "You're an asshole, too, you know that?" she said, her voice breathy and her eyes suddenly softer, smoldering.

"Yeah, well, it's my calling," he said, leaning closer to her again.

She didn't back away, but her eyes were still hot. "This ain't going to solve nothin'. You can't just kiss me everytime you want to win some stupid fight."

"That so?" he asked, his lips barely touching hers. "Seems to be workin' just fine."

She grabbed his collar, a smile dancing on her lips. "For now."

_All in all it's just another day now,  
__You're falling down, what you gonna do?  
__Standing on top of the world tonight,  
__No ones looking back at you._

* * *

A/N: Thanks for the reviews and comments! Sorry for the delay in posting. It's been a rather busy week with finals quickly approaching and other ninja duties, like listening to Tommy Howell's radio show. He keeps us busy. 


	12. Working for the Weekend

**Disclaimer: We do not own _The Outsiders _by SE Hinton, nor do we own "Working for the Weekend" by Loverboy**

* * *

_Everyone's watching_  
_To see what you will do  
__Everyone's looking at you._

The smoke irritated her eyes as it seemed to plume through the closed door and the planks of the floor. It dried them out almost as much as the dust flying at the rodeo.

The races had been uneventful the day before as all of them piled into the stands, sans Dallas and Darry. Dally was racing, and Darry had to work, though Ellie secretly wondered if he was just looking for an excuse to get out of it. She was sure that was the case when they got there, and Soda complained nearly the entire time, wishing he could ride again. Even after their parents passed away, Darry had firmly put his foot down, despite the fact Soda said he could rake in all kinds of money if he won. Darry reasoned that they wouldn't be able to afford hospital bills if he happened to get hurt again. Soda grudgingly agreed but not without a fight and not without trying to put Darry on a guilt trip every chance he got.

At least Soda's new girlfriend was allowed out of the house on the weekends to keep him busy during part of the show. He was quick to keep her informed of everything that was going on, from the riders to the races to the horses themselves. She seemed impressed by it all, or she was just good at acting like she cared, but Ellie was bored.

It was one of the few things she and Ponyboy disagreed on. He loved the horses and the excitement, but she thought there was too much waiting around between races and the hay, dust and dirt flying around made her sneeze and her eyes itch. Besides, there were too many socs hanging around, just wanting a blue ribbon to take home to place next to their other awards and trophies, while the greasers riding were doing it to make ends meet.

As the next race was beginning, Ellie spotted Dallas lining up with the others. In the years she had known him, she always found it bizarre how different he was when he was at the rodeos. Honesty and Dallas Winston had never gone hand in hand, but these races were different. As the gunshot popped above them and the horses took off, she wondered if it was because he knew how good he was. It was one of the rare opportunities greasers had to really show up the socs, and Dally took that seriously. It was the one thing he was so good at, he didn't need to cheat in order to win. And if anyone ever suggested otherwise, they usually met the floor pretty fast and couldn't chew solid food for awhile.

Still, she liked him better when he wasn't such a hard headed jerk. That rare honesty seemed to have the ability to turn into pure happiness when he would win those races. It was a side of him they only got see when he was riding in the rodeos, and it usually only lasted until he dismounted.

A hand waved in front of her face, fighting for her attention. Startled out of her trance, she looked over to see Pony and Johnny grinning at her.

"Did you hear a word I said?" Pony asked, looking from her and to the track to see what held her attention so steadily. The race was over, ending with Dally galloping over the finishline by a good two lengths.

She shrugged with a smile. "Sorry, I got a little distracted."

"I'll say," he agreed. "Me and Johnny wanna go to the movies tonight, since everyone's probably going to Buck's."

Ellie grinned. "What? You aren't gonna go to the party?"

"Shoot," Pony scoffed. "Darry ain't gonna let me within ten miles of that place. You ain't plannin' on going, are you? I mean, you ain't ever been before."

She shrugged. "I don't know. I was just thinkin' about it. It could be fun."

"I'll never know," Pony said. "But you could see if everything Two-Bit says really happens."

"It does," Johnny said, turning a little red. "Once is enough."

"Yeah, well. I ain't been there once, so it ain't been enough yet," Ellie interjected, sitting on her hands to try and warm them up, hoping Pony couldn't see right through that thin fib.

"So, which are you doing?" Johnny asked.

"Movies or Buck's?" Pony finished.

She sighed inwardly as she turned her attention back to the track as Dally trotted around the ring, heading back toward the stables. That put a kink in her plans to visit Dallas at the party that was clearly growing in numbers if the cheers from the crowd were any indication. Dally trotted his horse by the stands victoriously, nodding up to his friends with a proud grin on his face. His horse's strut was as cocky as he was going to be that weekend; she was sure of it.

"Sure, I'll go," she told Pony. She would visit Dally the next day instead. Maybe that would allow enough time for his ego to shrink a bit from the win.

_Everyone's wondering  
__Will you come out tonight?_

The door seemed to pulsate with the music downstairs, and every time someone walked down the hallway Ellie held her breath. She wasn't quite sure what she was doing. She'd walked all the way from home and had snuck into the party without much notice. Dally hadn't been around the Curtises because of all the parties Buck was throwing after the rodeo, blowing his winnings on cheap booze to draw the crowds in. She never would have guessed the party would have still be in full swing on a Sunday night, and she couldn't find Dallas through the crush of greasers. Giving up quickly, she decided to wait for him upstairs.

Sitting on the edge of the bed and listening to the party howl downstairs, she was getting nervous. He had no idea she was there, and she wasn't stupid. She knew that those kisses probably weren't anything to him, even if they were something to her. They sure felt like something. No one had ever kissed her like that or kissed her period. Ellie wondered what would happen if he brought another girl upstairs while she was sitting there waiting.

A shiver went down her spine, and she got up to shut the window. It was freezing outside, and he had left the window wide open. She kept it open as long as she could handle it, but her jacket wasn't doing much good against the breeze that kept wrapping around her.

She pushed the curtains aside and slid the window shut, taking a moment to stare at a few greasers standing around looking at car. To her knowledge, it looked pretty tuff. The hubcaps weren't anything spectacular, but she didn't think Steve would mind lifting them anyway.

"Ellie?" a confused voice addressed her.

She turned around quickly and saw Dallas standing in the doorway. A cowboy hat rested over his blond hair and a beer bottle was stuck in his hand. A little smile spread across her face as he shut the door slowly, looking her over from where he stood.

"Hey, Dal," she finally responded, pleased he was alone.

He gave her a little smirk and leaned back against the door. "What're you doin' here?"

Ellie gave a little shrug and said, "Ain't seen you since we met you at the stables after the rodeo. You've been busy with this party all weekend."

Dally tipped his beer back, draining the last few drops and setting it on the dresser beside him. "Why'd you show up so late?"

"Didn't know I was invited," she returned.

"Hell, it's Buck's. Everybody's invited," he stated. He watched in fascination as she crossed the room and stood in front of him. He looked down at her, the brim of his hat partially obscuring his view so he tipped it back slightly.

"I figured, but I didn't think I could talk Darry into lettin' Pony come with me," she said, tracing little circles in the dust on the dresser with her finger. "You know what?"

"What?" he asked, stepping closer to her.

"You sure can ride those ponies good, Dally," she said casually, looking up at him.

Dally chuckled, wondering if she had any inclination just how dirty that sounded. He figured she knew, though, what with the way her eyes were dancing with the little smile on her lips. The lack of blush on her cheeks surprised him, though. She always blushed when conversations turned like that.

"You think so?" he asked, slipping a caloused hand around her waist and pulling her against him. He leaned down, resting his cheek against hers. He said in her ear, "You ain't seen nothin'."

"I believe it," she said, her knees almost going weak and her voice suddenly breathy and nearly lost to the beat of Johnny Cash pulsating beneath them.

His lips hovered back to hers, and he kissed her once before he pulled away. Her face tried to follow, but he wouldn't let her catch him just yet. He liked that desperate pout on her lips when he left her with less than she expected.

Still holding her against him, he asked, "Who brought you?"

He hadn't seen Steve or even Soda since the night before ,and he was pretty sure Two-Bit hadn't left since he arrived Saturday evening. Besides, he was sure Steve wouldn't have brought her within a mile of the party and then left her alone.

Her face fell a little, and she tried to back out of his grasp. It only made him hold on tighter, preparing for an answer he could already tell he didn't want to hear.

"I took the bus as close as I could get and walked the rest of the way," she said, not looking at him.

"Godamnit, Ellie. You're just askin' to get jumped again," he growled. "What the hell are you thinkin'?"

She sighed, annoyed, and flicked her hair behind her shoulders. She knew nothing was going to happen. Michael and his friends weren't brave enough to venture that far into the East Side and despite what Dally had pulled at school, nothing had really happened to make Michael too mad. Things seemed to be settling.

"I was thinkin' that I wanted to come to the party, and I didn't have a very good explanation as to why, so I couldn't ask one of the guys to bring me," she said. "Nothin' happened."

"You storm into Buck's by yourself, during a party, and you think nothin' was gonna happen?" he asked.

Ellie furrowed her eyebrows and let the idea sink in. Socs weren't the only people he was worried about; he was thinking about the plethora of drunk guys just looking for a one night stand. The thought never crossed her mind, but no one approached her. She wasn't even sure if anyone even noticed her presence.

That moment of sensuality evaporated with his sudden sour mood and a rapid knock at the door.

"Shit," he muttered, letting her go and flinging the door open wide. Sylvia pounced, grabbing his shirt collars and pushing him backwards slightly. "What the hell do you want?" he grumbled, prying her fingers from his shirt and holding her wrists tightly.

"You know what I want," she tried to purr in his ear.

"Yeah, well go find Will and take it from him," Dally told her. "I'm busy."

"With what?" she asked, trying to push him toward the bed. As soon as she asked, she noticed Ellie standing awkwardly against the dresser. She wrinkled her face and looked with disbelief from Ellie to Dally. "You're kidding me, right?"

"Did you hear me laughin'? Get the hell out 'fore I toss you out on your ass," he threatened, giving her a shove back toward the hallway.

Sylvia stood in the doorway, giving Ellie a hot glare, her pale green eyes boring holes into her. Ellie tried to hold one in return, but she looked away, embarrassed.

Fluffing her curls and running blood red fingernails through her dishwater blonde hair, Sylvia rested a hand on her hip and said coolly to Dally, "Well, you have fun with your little girl here. I'm sure Will and I are gonna have some real fun tonight. It's too bad you're so busy, Dal. I'd much rather have that fun with you like old times."

"An' just like old times, you got no problem slumming. Fuck off, Sylvia," he said.

"Yeah, and just like old times you ain't gonna put up much of a fight if I come back around." She folded her arms tightly in front of her, giving him a nice view. She smirked triumphantly as his eyes wandered. "You know she ain't gonna last more'n a week."

Dally smirked at her. "You know from experience, ain't that right?" He gave the door a push, slamming it right in her pretty, harlot face. Ellie still stared at the place her face had been, her teeth gritting in the frustration of both Sylvia and Dallas talking about her like she wasn't even in the room.

"What?" Dally asked, turning his attention back to her.

"Nothing," she said, crossing her arms. She wished she hadn't come. "Maybe I ought to go."

She tried to go around him, but he stepped in her path blocking her exit.

"You ain't walkin'," he told her.

"Two-Bit's here, ain't he?" she asked.

Dally shrugged. "He might be in a room, or he might've gotten a ride home by now. Besides, he'd be too crocked to drive you anywhere."

"So you drive me," she said.

"Can't," he said with a smirk. "Buck's car's in the shop

"You can walk me. It ain't that far," she suggested.

"It's fucking freezing," he said, motioning toward the window. "I ain't walkin' nowhere."

"So what am I supposed to do?" she asked, dropping her hands to her sides.

Dally shrugged and eased her back into the dresser, his hands on her hips and his eyes on the prize.

"You can stay here," he suggested, slipping a thumb under her shirt and caressing her bare skin.

She laughed at the joke, until she realized he was serious. "What? You mean stay all night…with you?"

"Ain't no one else here," he said, his whole hand resting on her hip.

She shook her head and pulled his hand from under her shirt. "I don't think so," she said quickly. She tried to head for the door, but Dally blocked her path again.

He was laughing, and Ellie looked at him angrily.

"Glory, but you can blush," he appraised. He reached up and pulled his hat off, tossing it across the room in one fluid motion. "I think you want to stay."

She shook her head, giving him a stern look. "No, I think Sylvia wanted to stay."

"Forget about her," he said, leaning closer to Ellie. "She just wants to get people all riled up."

"Yeah? Well, it's working," she complained. He grinned and kissed her roughly. His hands had found their way back to her sides beneath her shirt while his lips found their way to her neck, and she tried to give him a shove back. "Cut it out, Dal." He made no motion to stop, and suddenly Ellie felt the back of her knees pinned against the rickety, old bed that sat in the corner. "Dally!" she scolded once more.

He sighed. He was almost as irritated with her as he was amused. "I think you wanna stay with me tonight," he told her once more before releasing his grip on her sides. She tumbled backward as her knees buckled against the bed frame. He grinned down at her. Boy, she had a way of pissing him off, but it was entertaining to see just how far he could push her sometimes.

She sat up quickly, straightening her skirt that had worked its way half way up her thighs. "I still think you're wrong."

"You _think _I'm wrong?" he asked as he fell onto the bed next to her, stretching out on his back with his hands tucked under his head. She rolled her eyes like he knew she would, and he asked, "How do you plan on gettin' home then? I ain't walking you, and you ain't walking alone."

"So you're saying I'm stranded here?" she asked, weighing her options.

He smirked at her. "That's what I'm saying." He was thoughtful for a moment. "Unless you wanna call Steve or Darry to pick you up." His smile turned into a full-fledged grin, as her eyes slightly widened. He could only imagine how she would try to talk her way around why she snuck to Buck's on her own. He knew just how red she would turn if she had to be picked up from Buck's after spending an evening with Dally.

Darry would shake his head, praise all that was holy that he didn't have a little sister of his own, and say nothing. Steve, on the other hand? He'd go into big-brother mode and want to know everything. Dally happened to know that she would rather roll over dead than to have a conversation like that with Steve, and he couldn't blame her. Steve gave Curly Shepard a black eye once for trying his best to lift Ellie's skirt on the playground when they were all little kids. He'd gotten hell from Tim for a few weeks, but Curly never tried anything like that with Ellie ever again. Steve made sure he looked and never touched from there on out.

Ellie sighed before falling on her back beside him. "Guess I'm stuck here, then."

He wrapped an arm around her. "Guess so."

_Everybody's working for the weekend  
__Everybody wants a little romance._

Ellie scooted closer to Dally, pulling the blankets tight around her shoulders and curling her knees up almost to her chest. He felt her shiver next to him and pulled her closer.

"Why'd you open the window again?" she asked. "It's freezing in here. How do you stand it?"

"Quit gripin'. It ain't that cold," he told her.

"Bullshit," she muttered. "You wouldn't walk me home 'cause you said it was too cold."

"Too cold to walk, but this is okay. You're just too skinny for your own good. 'Sides," he added slyly, allowing his hand to wander down her side onto her hip, "there're other ways of keepin' warm."

She grabbed his hand in what had become a reflexive action in the past hour or so. "We've already been over this," she warned hotly.

"Yeah, yeah," he grumbled into her hair. He didn't mind so much, because he had already gotten her to stay the night with him, which was further than he thought he would get. He expected her to put up such a fight earlier that he would have no choice but to walk her home. However, she gave up the argument easier than he expected. He had been hoping she would cave eventually.

The room beside them suddenly came alive with low moans and the rapid squeak of an old mattress and the headboard banging against the paper-thin walls. Ellie tried to squirm further away, but Dally held her tight against him. He knew her cheeks must be on fire.

"Sounds like Sylvia," he said, close to her ear. "Wanna make her jealous?"

He took an unexpected elbow to the ribs, and she slid out of the bed and glared at him.

"No. I don't want to make her jealous. I want you to take me home," she said, her hands on her hips. "I got school in the morning, Dal."

He didn't move more than to turn on to his back. He gave her a sideways smile and said nothing until the squeaking of the mattress next door was still. Sylvia was usually loud, and tonight, she was louder than usual in an effort to make him jealous or piss him off. Ellie's cheeks couldn't have gotten any redder despite the way she stood there hugging herself in the dark room, as she shivered in the breeze coming through the open window.

"Dally," she said, sharply through her gritted teeth, "take me home."

"You ain't gonna be able to stand walkin' home, Miss Priss," he said, sitting up and nodding toward the window. "Not with only a jacket."

"So be a gentleman, and give me your coat," she insisted, hugging herself tighter and trying to make her teeth stop chattering.

"What am I supposed to wear then?" he asked, toying with her.

"Like I give a shit. Borrow someone's car, and this won't have to be such an ordeal," she pleaded with him.

"I ain't the one makin' this an ordeal. Besides, it's warm enough right here," he said. He reached out for her arm, tugging her closer to the bed.

The moaning and squeaking from the room next door started up again, and Dally couldn't help the laugh that spilled out of his mouth as she bulked at the sound.

"I'm tellin' you, El. They got the right idea. You'll want that window open," he said with a suggestive smirk.

Ellie pulled her arm out of his grasp. "That's it," she declared.

"What's it?"

"I'm sleeping on the floor," she stated flatly, reaching for the pillow.

"No, you ain't," he said, grabbing her arms and pulling her onto the bed in one easy motion. "I'll be good."

"Liar," she said, her scoff breathy on his neck. "You're never good."

"You never know," he reasoned with a grin that made his face hurt. "I might surprise you."

_Everybody's goin' off the deep end  
__Everybody needs a second chance._

* * *

_A/N_: Wow, sorry we have been so sluggish at the updates lately. Things have been crazy with the end of school, working and retirement parties we planned. We'll get back on track...hopefully. As for now, we hope you enjoyed the frosting. 


	13. Mad Season

Disclaimer: We do not own _The Outsiders_ by SE Hinton, nor do we own "Mad Season" by Matchbox Twenty.

* * *

_I feel stupid but I know it won't last for long,  
__I've been guessin',  
__I coulda been guessin' wrong._

Ellie didn't know exactly what woke her, nor did she realize where she was at first.

Through sleep-laden eyes, she looked at her surroundings, a nervous feeling gnawing at the pit of her stomach when she realized she was at Buck's. In bed with a sleeping Dallas Winston, no less.

She took a deep breath, and nearly sighed in relief when she noticed the fabric of her shirt peeking out from underneath the sheet. She was pleased with herself to find that she hadn't lost her mind, or her clothes, the night before.

The quietness of the roadhouse was eerie compared to the ruckus she had fallen asleep to; loud enough to rattle your teeth and drive you crazy. She let the stunning silence wash over her as she curled up closer to Dally, warm against the chilled breeze that still blew the curtains around. In his sleep, he was oblivious to the fact that she was even there. He lay on his back, his arms resting on his chest and breathing slightly through his mouth. He looked every bit the 16- almost 17- years he was, and every bit as vulnerable as he should have been at such an age. She knew she would never tell him that, nor would he want to hear it, so she closed her eyes, content with her new secret.

As sleep began working its way into the edges of her brain, a nagging thought kept tugging at her. She knew she should be concerned with something, but she couldn't place her finger on what it was. She rested her head on Dally's arm, feeling him stir quietly at the touch. She wished she could lay there all day long. If only it weren't…

"Shit!"

Dally woke with a start as Ellie shot up in the bed. Squinting, he watched her jump out of bed, grabbing for her shoes and jacket. "What the hell?" he groaned, pulling the blankets over his head.

"I'm gonna be late for school," she said, frantically searching for her left shoe.

"That's all?" came his irritated, muffled voice from under the pillow.

"'That's all'?" she asked, crouching down and pulling her shoe from under the bed. He didn't reply, and she threw the shoe at him. "I've got a test today. I _have _to be there."

"It's one test." His hand groped for the shoe that had just hit him, and he threw it back at her without pulling his head out from beneath the pillow.

She dodged it, letting it hit the floor with a thud. "You've gotta drive me," she stated, flatly, trying to keep her balance as she pulled on her right shoe. "I have to stop by home first and get my stuff."

"I told you last night, Buck's car's in the shop," he said shortly, pulling his head out from under the blankets. Even though he looked like a child with his hair standing up all over the place, she wanted to strangle him.

"If I walk, I'm never gonna make it there on time! I have to be there in 20 minutes." She looked out the dusty, dirty window and spotted Tim's car in Buck's gravel lot. "Tim's still here! Borrow his car."

"Yeah, 'cause Tim's gonna be awful pleased with me wakin' him up at-" He grabbed the clock next to him, squinting to read the early morning numbers. "You've got to be fuckin' kidding me." Still, he climbed out of bed, slipping on his jeans and running a hand through his hair.

"He's gonna slit my throat," Dally grumbled, pulling on a t-shirt and then his jean jacket. "An' all 'cause Miss Ella here, can't skip a goddamn test. You're a real pain in the ass, Ellie," he said but continued out into the hall.

Ellie followed him, trying to suppress the smile that was sneaking across her face. She could only imagine he wouldn't be doing this for Sylvia or any of his other past girlfriends. Not that they cared enough about an education to go to school, but that was besides the point. She knew he wouldn't go out of his way to help them like he was helping her.

Dally paused in front of one of the doors down the hallway and pounded his fist against it. "Shepard."

"He ain't here," replied the groggy male voice.

"Bullshit," Dally answered, still pounding on the door. "I gotta borrow your car."

Finally they heard shuffling on the other side of the door. Tim opened it a crack, glaring out into the hall with a sheet wrapped around his waist. "You got any idea what time it is, Winston?"

"I know exactly what time it is," he snapped, jerking a thumb to his side. "Princess here has gotta go toschool."

Tim opened the door farther, looking to see who he was pointing to. He gave Dally an approving smirk before running his steely eyes up and down, apprasing her with a semi-impressed expression. "Well, well. Ain't you full of surprises?"

When she only crossed her arms and glared at him, he went back into his room and returned with a set of keys. "And all this time, I was thinkin' you was so innocent." He winked at her before slamming the door in their faces.

"Let's go," Dally said, leading the way down the hall.

"What was that supposed to mean?" she asked, looking from Dally to Tim's door, knowing exactly what he was implying, though Dallas didn't bother correcting Tim on his misconceptions. "Dally? Don't let him think that. You gonna set him straight?" She hurried after him down the staircase as he ignored her questions.

_I feel stupid,  
__But it's something that comes and goes._

Tim's Bel Air pulled to a rough stop in front of the school, just as it had in front of her house only minutes before so she could grab her things. She knew better this time and braced herself accordingly.

"Thanks, Dal," she said sarcastically, pushing the door open.

"Hey, you were the one that needed to get here so fast," he pointed out, draping his arm across the seat. She continued to get out of the car, but he caught her hand. "Hey, don't I get a thank you kiss or somethin'? I wouldn't usually get outta bed this early just to drive somebody around town."

"We'll see how late I am for this test," she said nervously, seeing the courtyard of the school was completely empty. Dally tried to kiss the back of her hand with a sly look on his face, but she pulled it away. "Then we'll see about a kiss. Maybe after you pick me up from work tonight?"

"Sure." Dally carefully appraised her before he let out a chuckle. Ellie was about to close the car door but heard him laugh and paused. "What's so funny?"

He nodded towards her. "Good luck explainin' to everybody an' their brother why you're wearin' the same thing you wore yesterday."

Her stomach dropped and she looked down at her day-old, wrinkled ensemble. She had been so worried about getting to school on time, she hadn't thought about what she was wearing, even when she caught sight of herself in the mirror as she raked a brush through her hair and scrambled to find all her books and notebooks.

She was glad her mom was at work and her stepdad was passed out in his room, though they wouldn't have been very concerned with her spending the night elsewhere. They usually didn't even notice. It was going on nearly eight years that she had known Ponyboy, and in those years it became increasingly common for Ellie to stay the night at his house. Abby liked it that way. Ellie didn't have to listen to the endless bickering between her and Jimmy, and Abby didn't have to worry about where she was. Ellie planned on keeping it that way. Abigail's carelessness may have made her a poor mother, but it gave Ellie her share of freedom, which she was thankful for at the moment.

"Shit," she muttered, trying to smooth the wrinkles in her skirt.

"I'll see you later, Dollface." Dally kept smirking at her as he reached across the seat and pulled her door shut, before he sped out of the parking lot.

_Today just keeps getting better and better_, she thought, irritated. As she turned to walk into the building, she noticed a solitary student walking through the parking lot. He was as late as she was, but she could tell by his cocky strut that he couldn't care less. When he got closer, her stomach flipped at the familiar saunter: Two-Bit. He was close enough that she could see the confused look on his face. She could almost see the gears turning in his head with questions he was going to ask her. Why was she so late to school? Why was Dallas driving her? Why was she in the same clothes they had seen her in the day before? At that moment, she couldn't think of a better reason to turn around and sprint for class.

She jogged up the stairs to Mr. Leery's room, balancing her books and trying to catch her breath before she walked into the room.

Taking one final calming breath, she opened the door, only to have 25 pairs of juding eyes turn to look at her.

"Well, well," Mr. Leery said, sitting at his desk. "How nice of you to join us, Ms. O'Hare."

Keeping her eyes on the floor, she sank into her seat, hoping she didn't look as flushed as she felt. Leery seemed to outgrow that understanding from only a week before. She could hear murmuring coming from the back of the room where, it seemed, the meanest socs sat.

"Frankenstein's late again," one said another quietly, but loud enough for her to hear. "What else is new?"

As Mr. Leery laid the test on her desk, he gave them all an annoyed look. "All right, that's enough."

Ellie wanted to crawl under her desk.

_I've been changin',  
__Think it's funny how no one knows._

Pony was waiting at the end of a row of lockers as Ellie approached him, tucking her new detention slip into her folder.

She fell in stride with him as they navigated through the hall until they parted; her for English, Pony for gym. Unlike the other days, though, she did so without saying a word.

"How come you didn't ride with us today?" he finally asked, trying to read her expression but found he couldn't with the way she kept staring at the floor.

"I overslept," she said. It wasn't a lie. She _had_ overslept. She just didn't tell him _where_ she overslept.

"Really? 'Cause when Steve came by for Darry to give us a ride, he said he stopped by your house to pick you up, and nobody answered the door when he knocked. Or your window."

Ellie shrugged nonchalantly. "Must have been pretty tired to have slept through that." In a hurry to get the focus off of her for a moment, she asked, "Where was Two-Bit?"

"He was planning on being too hungover from the parties this weekend to show up today," Pony explained. "Wonder if he's going to make it at all?"

"Oh, he's here," she muttered. As if on cue, they heard shouting behind them.

"El! Pony!"

Pony looked over his shoulder to see Two-Bit and Steve approaching them. Two-Bit clapped his hand on Pony's back, looking to be in fairly good spirits considering the hangover he was probably nursing at the moment.

Steve slowly studied Ellie for a moment, and Two-Bit let out a low whistle. There was a wide grin on his face as he looked at her. If she had wanted to crawl under her desk before, she wanted to die right then.

"El, who brought you to-" Two-Bit started to ask, but Ellie backed away, hoping to drown in the sea of people walking around them.

"I can't be late for another class," she said to them. "I'll see you guys later!"

She dodged in front of a few cheerleaders and half walked, half jogged to her next class.

_I feel stupid,  
__But I think I been catchin' on._

The final bell of the day rang, and Ellie felt her shoulders droop at the sight of Steve waiting outside her classroom. She was getting tired of dodging the guys, and she was sure they were tired of the lame excuses she had been giving them all day. She even ate lunch in the cafeteria, saying she needed to finish homework. All of them stayed in with her, but the room was too noisy, with too many distractions, for Two-Bit and Steve to grill her much at all. Instead, they wandered around, talking to the few other greasers who stayed in that day. Two-Bit found the sister of the soc who called her Frankenstein and tried his hardest to woo her to go out with him. Ellie could hear him howling with laughter from all the way across the cafeteria. Somehow, it wasn't enough to pull her eyes away from the structure of a cell plastered across the pages of her science book.

She knew there was no way to avoid riding home with them, so she hurriedly pushed her way in front of Steve and led the way out the front doors after the final bell. She could feel him boring a hole through her, and she wasn't even looking at him. Pony and Two-Bit caught up with them halfway to Two-Bit's car.

Nobody said anything, but Steve looked mad, Ponyboy looked confused, and Two-Bit looked fairly intrigued. They all knew something was going on, but they didn't know how they were going to get it out of her. Sliding into the backseat, Ellie stared at the same imaginary spot that she had been staring at all day.

"Why the hell is Shepard bringing you to school?" Steve blasted as Two-Bit floored it out of the parking lot.

That caught her by surprise and despite herself, she looked up at him confused. "What?"

"Two-Bit told me he saw you getting out of a car that looked an awful lot like Tim Shepard's this morning," he said, staring back at her.

Ellie shook her head and said slowly, "He didn't bring me to school. Dally did. He just had to borrow Tim's car."

Steve considered that for a moment and turned back around in his seat to think about it. Just as he was turning around to interrogate her some more, Two-Bit opened his mouth.

"Why'd Dal have to bring you to school? Why didn't you just ride with Darry when he brought Steve and Pony?" He asked the question with a smile on his face. They all knew she wasn't telling them something, and Two-Bit was having a lot of fun trying to drag it out of her.

"I…I..." she stammered, trying to come up with a good enough lie to just get them to leave her alone until she could think of a better explanation. "I overslept, and he was the only one I could get a hold of."

Steve shook his head in confusion. "But-"

Of all people, it was Pony that cut him off. "How come you're wearing the same clothes you wore yesterday?"

Ellie shot him an angry glare. Ponyboy wasn't supposed to be siding with them; he was supposed to be helping her out. "It was all I had that was clean enough," she explained, trying to sound convincing.

Steve and Two-Bit said nothing, but she wasn't sure they had believed her. There was silence for a couple minutes as they turned on to Front Street. Thinking they were finally appeased by her answers, she was angry to see Pony turn in his seat and look at her again. "But why's your skirt so wrinkled?"

"Yeah," said Steve, catching the glare she shot at Pony with a confused look on his own face.

Two-Bit pulled to a stop in front of Joe's Grocer. Ellie climbed out of the car, thankful for the fresh air and to be away from the guys and their own form of the Spanish Inquisition.

"Thanks for the ride," she muttered.

"You got a ride home?" Two-Bit asked. She rolled her eyes as she could hear the grin in his voice. He was really enjoying seeing her squirm like this.

"Yeah," she replied. "I'll see y'all tomorrow."

"Be sure to change your clothes, kiddo," Two-Bit hollered after her. She groaned as she was greeted with the _ding_ of the bell at Joe's store. They weren't ever going to let her live this down, and they didn't even know half of what was going on.

_You seem colder now, torn apart, angry, turned around,  
__Will that whole mad season knock you down?_

Ellie hesitated slightly as she stood on the Curtises porch, smoking a cigarette, as the ruckus from the living room drifted outside into the brisk October air.

She didn't want to put herself back on the firing line, but she had promised she would study with Ponyboy. Besides, if she kept avoiding the boys, it would be like admitting she had something to hide. That was how she reasoned it anyway. Either way, though, the guys knew there was something she wasn't being straight about.

Dally had a good laugh at her expense when she had told him about the third degree she received on account of her wrinkled clothes. She continued chastizing him the entire way back to her house after work, even though it only made him laugh harder.

She could only hope the others had found something else to distract them enough to forget about it all, but she knew that was hopeless when Two-Bit picked them up the day after the fiasco. He insisted on congratulating her on her clean, pressed skirt more than once that day, even in the hallways at school, ignoring the embarrassed flush of her cheeks.

Grinding her cigarette out on the cement porch and taking a deep breath, she tried to put the last couple of days behind her as she swung the door of the Curtis house open. She immediately found herself greeted by a louder version of the ruckus she was just listening to.

Soda was slamming Steve into the floor as the door shut behind her, and Soda's baseball cap went flying towards the door. Ellie picked it off the floor and put it on Pony's head. He glanced up from the couch where he was watching TV.

"Hey, El," Pony said, taking it off his head and tossing it down to the floor where Soda was trying, without much luck, to pin Steve. He pulled his legs onto the couch as Steve knocked Soda into the couch, tipping it slightly, even with Pony sitting there.

"You ready to work on algebra?" she asked over the commotion.

Pony shrugged. "Never ready to work on math homework."

She nodded in agreement as Soda finally noticed her prescence.

"Hey, El," he greeted, his greased hair sticking up every which way from the roughhousing.

Steve took advantage of Soda's distraction and gave him a rough shove to the back of the head, quickly moving out of the range of a wayward punch.

Pony clambered over the two boys wrestling and followed Ellie into the kitchen.

"You okay, Ellie?" he asked, flipping through his textbook to the page of assigned homework. "You've been awful quiet these last couple of days."

"I'm fine," she grumbled, digging through her bag for a pencil. "If everybody would stop givin' me the third degree, I'd be even better."

Pony scanned the page he was looking at, daring to glance at Ellie when she wasn't looking. "We're all kinda curious where you were yesterday mornin'…"

He trailed off when she shot a glare at him. "I told you I overslept, Ponyboy Curtis. Why's everybody so interested in the fact that I was late once in my life?" she hissed.

"Just ain't like you, that's all," he replied, trying to hide a smile as he busied himself writing down equations. As mad as she was getting with everyone, he was sure that she was trying to keep something a secret. Two-Bit swore that it was something juicy, and the more defensive she got, the more Pony was willing to believe it.

"Just drop it, will you?"

"Fine."

They set to work on their homework, Ellie in a bad mood and Ponyboy trying to hide his amusement.

_At times I do believe I am strong,  
__So someone tell me why do I feel stupid?_

The front door slammed shut as Two-Bit noisily made his way into the kitchen. Ellie groaned aloud, but she was drowned out quite well by the commotion that surrounded her. She didn't need anymore distractions or anymore hasseling.

Soda and Steve sat at the ends of the table, tossing a football to each other over top of the table and deep in conversation over the various girls who visited the DX that afternoon.

Pony had long since finished his homework and was watching TV when Johnny and Dallas had arrived. Mentally, she cursed him for being much better at math than she was. While she was at it, she cursed the day he wasn't in her math class. He was helping to keep her grade afloat, and she didn't want to see the disasterous grade that would result when she no longer had him as her personal math tutor.

Dally had taken Pony's vacated seat and was taking great pleasure in the long, annoyed glances she kept giving him as he rhythmically kicked her chair.

"Hey Two-Bit," Soda greeted, tossing the football at him.

"Hey guys," he replied, tossing the ball to Dally. "Hiya, El. Have I told you how nice you look today? That's a nice skirt you've got on."

Ellie tried to hide how irritated she was getting with them, but there was a clear bite to her words. "You've told me several times, Two-Bit. You can cut it out now. It ain't funny no more."

"Geez, I try to give a girl a compliment and she gets mad at me," he said, walking to the refrigerator and pulling out a beer as the front door opened and shut again. "Sure hope Kathy ain't in the same pissy mood Ellie is."

"Maybe she wouldn't be in a bad mood if y'all weren't bothering her," Darry reasoned, as he entered the dining room. He caught the football as it sailed from Soda's hands toward Steve. "Why don't y'all toss it around outside?" When no one moved, he added, "That wasn't a suggestion, little man. Go."

Steve and Soda pulled themselves out of their chairs, and Johnny and Pony leapt off the couch at the chance to play a little football.

"I'll join you boys 'til I finish my beer, but then I got a date," Two-Bit reasoned as he followed the others out the door.

Pony was almost out the door behind him when Darry called his name.

"You finish your homework?" he asked, pulling a dish of leftovers out of the refrigerator.

"Yeah, it's on the table," he said. Ellie noticed a slight flush to his cheeks and his annoyed tone. A part of her felt sorry for him, knowing how it embarrassed him for Darry to say things like that in front of the others. It only made it that much more obvious that he was so much younger than the others. Another part of her was jealous of this constant supervision he had, something she hadn't experienced since her grandmother died when she was little.

"All right," Darry said. Pony raced outside to join the others, and Darry headed down the hallway to change out of his work clothes.

Dally stopped kicking Ellie's chair long enough to pull out a pack of gum and stick a wad in his mouth. He started kicking her chair again, but this time, the heavy _thump_ of his boot against the leg of her chair was immediately followed by the obnoxious _snap_ of his gum. Ellie snapped her book shut.

"Are you kidding me?" she asked, frustration dripping from her tongue.

Dally grinned as he snapped his gum once more and said seriously, "You know I don't kid."

She gathered her papers and stuffed them into her bag, along with her textbook. "I'm going home."

He leaned closer to her, a wolfish grin on his face. "Home or back to Buck's with me?" She could feel his breath on her neck, and she wanted to slap the smile right off his face. She resisted the urge and slid her chair back from the table.

"I'm going home. I don't care where you go," she said, matter of factly, knowing one place in particular he could go at that moment.

"C'mon, El," he said, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her closer. "Don't get all pissed off like that."

She put her hands on his chest, with every intention to push him away, until she took a deep breath, smelling that familiar mix of Kools and cologne. He seemed to notice she was giving up the fight because he grinned broadly down at her.

He leaned down, pulling her into a kiss and closer to his chest. She gave up the fight that had just been so strong in her and kissed him back.

A throat cleared behind them and her eyes flew open as Dally's arms tensed around her. She pushed him away only to find Darry standing behind them, a confused look plastered on his face.

Ellie tried to think of something to say, but only found herself stammering, grabbing for her bag as her face turned bright red. "I, uh...I better find Two-Bit before he leaves."

She avoided Darry's gaze but noticed Dally's cocky grin. She gave him a forceful punch in the shoulder as she hurried passed him.

Ellie rushed outside, thanking all that was holy that the guys had gone to the lot to throw the football around and that Two-Bit's car was being too stubborn to start at the moment. She ran to the car, sliding into the passenger seat as the engine roared to life.

"Do you mind dropping me off at home before your date?" she asked, as Dally stepped out onto the porch. She could see the cocky grin on his face, illuminated by the porch light and the match lighting his cigarette. That wasn't how she pictured the guys finding out she was seeing Dallas Winston. _This ain't gonna be good_, she thought to herself.

"Sure, kid," he said, roaring the engine to life.

They didn't move and she turned to find him staring at her with his eyebrow cocked.

"What?" she asked, slowly.

"Why are you so red?" he asked, grinning now.

"I-" she was cut off as her door opened and Dally grinned in at them.

"You an' Kathy headed for Buck's?" he asked, looking over Ellie at Two-Bit.

"Sure are. Need a lift?" Two-Bit asked.

Ellie closed her eyes and willed him to just go away, but instead he climbed in beside her. Ellie slid to the middle of the bench seat, leaning closer to Two-Bit than she dared sit next to him.

"Where you goin', El?" he asked, throwing an arm across the seat. "You don't gotta crowd Two-Bit. There's plenty of room over here."

She rolled her eyes and scooted back to the middle of the seat. Two-Bit pulled away from the curb and Dally let his hand fall from the seat to her shoulders. She gave him a warning glance.

"That's a nice skirt, El. How'd your other one get so wrinkled? That just ain't like you, Miss Priss," Dally taunted, rolling the window down and letting the cold air in.

Two-Bit laughed and Ellie said sharply, "Drop it."

"Aw, El. You're neat as a pin. Can't imagine you walkin' outta your house dressed like you was," Two-Bit said, swinging a right where it should have been a left.

"I'm neat as a pin 'cause you're all pigs," she snapped, sitting forward. "Where the hell are you goin'?"

"Oh, I gotta stop and purchase me some cigarettes," Two-Bit said primly.

"Why can't you drop me off first?" she whined, feeling Dally's hand dropping lower than her shoulder. She slapped his hand away and glared at him. "Stop it," she mouthed.

He wore a shit-eating grin and slid his arm slowly across the top of her shoulders. "Cold, El?" he asked, watching the hairs on her arms stand up on end. "Where's your jacket?"

She chose to ignore him and said to Two-Bit, "_Purchase_?"

"Well, not in the sense of the word," he said smartly. "Kathy'll be pissed if I don't have some she can bum offa me."

"She's gonna be pissed if you're late pickin' her up 'cause you decided to cart me all over town before taking me home," she said.

"I think I like her when she's pissed," Two-Bit remarked, coming to a screeching halt at a red light. "It's fun makin' up."

As he said that, Dally pinched her side, and Ellie let out a startled hiccup as her body jumped. She willed her glare hot enough to at least faze him. When he looked back at her with that penetrating stare and cocky smirk, she punched him in the arm again.

"What was that?" Two-Bit asked, pulling into the U-Tote-M parking lot.

"Dally being an asshole," she muttered, crossing her arms and sitting back in the seat.

Two-Bit laughed and got out of the car. "Want anything, Dal?"

"Kools'll do it," he said.

Two-Bit nodded and shut the door, leaving them alone. Ellie scooted back, giving herself more space and punched him harder. He let out a snarky laugh, and she hit him again.

"What the hell are you doing?" she snapped. "Last thing I need them to know is that I stayed the night with you. Knock it off, asshole."

"Knock what off? He ain't got a clue and he wouldn't care even if he did," he said, toying with her. "'Sides, you're pretty fun to make up with," he added, leaning in to kiss her. She shoved him back and resisted the urge to slap him across the face.

"The way you keep actin' he's gonna catch on. I don't want them to know yet," she said seriously. "What did Darry say?"

"He said to not do somethin' stupid and I told him he probably needed to worry about you bein' the one to do something stupid," he said, grabbing at her legs and sliding her closer to him.

She slapped him across the side of the head as the car door opened.

"What's this?" Two-Bit asked, interested. "Lover's quarrel?"

Ellie flipped her head around, her eyes wide and her mouth almost hanging open. "What?"

"That was fast," Dally appraised as Two-Bit tossed him a pack of Kools.

"Five finger discount is the fastest way to pay," Two-Bit said with a proud sigh.

"Fastest way to a jail cell," Ellie grimaced, trying to hide her blush after his joke.

"But only if I get caught," Two-Bit said, starting the engine without a hitch. "Where to, El?"

"Buck's?" Dally asked, opening the fresh pack of cigarettes.

"No," she drug out, annoyed he'd drug her this far and with the look on Dally's face as he lit up a cigarette. "I gotta go home."

"Okay, kid. Maybe next time. I'm gonna get you to party there sooner or later," Two-Bit declared.

Rolling her head back to Dally, she gave him a long look and said to Two-Bit without looking, "Sure, Two-Bit."

Dally winked at her and slid an arm casually across the seat above her shoulders.

_So why ya gotta stand there looking like the answer now?  
__It seems to me you'd come around,  
__I need you now._

* * *

A/N: So Darry found out in the less than ideal way. How is everyone else going to take the news? 


	14. A Matter of Trust

Disclaimer: We do not own The Outsiders or "A Matter of Trust." Those belong to SE Hinton and Billy Joel.

Warning: Language

* * *

_Some love is just a lie of the heart  
The cold remains of what began  
With a passionate start._

She drug her feet as she walked to Darry's truck. All week long, Ellie managed to avoid being alone with Darry, for fear that he would start lecturing her about getting involved with Dallas. She thanked her lucky stars that Darry wasn't one to gossip, so at least she could count on him not spreading the word. Once everyone found out, there was sure to be sparks. She knew how they were, and she was pretty certain she knew exactly how they would react.

Soda would be dumbfounded, Pony and Johnny would be confused as all get out, while Two-Bit would think it were all hilarious. Darry would be concerned, but it would certainly be Steve that blew a gasket over the whole thing.

When they were all hanging out in those few days, she made sure to sit far enough away from Dally so he didn't try any funny business. Two-Bit was still trying to drag a story out of her about her wrinkled clothes, despite everyone else seemingly losing interest. She could handle that if he was the only one grilling her about it. Besides, he didn't know anything was going on, he was just looking to give her a hard time. It was Darry she was more concerned about avoiding. He actually knew something.

She was careful to avoid the slightest eye contact with him, though she caught a couple of glances during the week. She wasn't sure what he was thinking, but there was something in those glances that wasn't exactly understanding. It seemed that he was trying to send her a life line. It was like a lifesaver being thrown to someone drowning. He was trying to pull her out before she got too deep.

_Too late_, she thought quietly to herself that week, each time Dally would pick her up from work and walk her home. The kisses underneath her window and the invitations to stay at Buck's another night would only leave Darry's knowing glance etched in her mind. She already knew she was well over her head with Dallas. She didn't need anyone else telling her that same thing.

The only thing she could hope for was that she could tread this uncharted water fast enough and that some tidal wave didn't come out of nowhere and drown her completely. She knew she was over her head, she usually was, but at least this time she could still see the distant shoreline. Before long, she knew, she would be stranded. She may have been innocent when it came to some things, but living on the east side kept her from being entirely naïve. She knew boys like Dallas Winston were sharks, and she was easy enough prey.

Ellie prided herself in her flawless excuses in the past few days, getting herself out of the Curtis house and away from Darry. She had been quite successful with these dodges for three whole days. Her biggest failure came Saturday morning.

Soda had managed to get the day off at the DX while Steve had only the morning off, following what sounded like a wild drag race the night before. Soda didn't need the morning to recover from a hangover like Steve most likely did, but Soda was using the excuse that it was a late birthday present to himself. He offered to make it a double celebration for Ellie's 15th birthday, which had already come and gone, but she passed. The last thing she wanted was to be in such a wild crowd with Dally when the others- namely Steve- found out they were dating. She politely declined the invitation on account of an early morning at work. It wasn't until the last moment when she realized their day off would mean judgment day for her.

Climbing into the cab of the truck, she managed a tight, awkward smile as she shut the door. He said nothing as he pulled away from the curb and turned toward Joe's Grocery.

Ellie stared at the worn threads on her sneakers, knowing there would be a hole there before long. Darry quietly maneuvered his way along the early morning streets. Though she wasn't looking at him, she could feel his glances, and she knew the worst was yet to come.

They were stopped at the traffic light at Pickett and Front when Darry finally tossed an arm over the seat and looked at her. "Ellie, are you gonna explain to me what I saw the other day?"

She met his stare and became flustered for words. "I...well, I...uh. It's just that..." She took a deep breath and sighed helplessly. "What's there to say?"

"Well, for one," Darry said, watching for the light to turn green, "why you were kissin' _Dallas Winston_ in my kitchen?"

Ellie knew for a fact that she would be less embarrassed if it had been her own mother walking in on her and Dally kissing. The light turned green and as soon as the truck started moving again and Ellie thought about jumping.

She stammered for more words before saying softly, "There's nothin' I can say. It's not like I can tell you that you saw it all wrong."

He was quiet as he pulled in front of the grocery store. He gave her a helpless look, and she wondered if he was thinking if his parents would have jumped into the the middle of this. Ellie decided they would have, but she was as clueless as Darry seemed to be on what their reaction would have been. "Dally? Why him?"

She met his gaze with a confused look. Opening her mouth, she was surprised when the words wouldn't come. In her mind, she had plenty of reasons for dating Dally. In her mind, there was romance and adventure. In her mind, it was like one of those forbidden romances she saw in the movies, the ones no one ever understood. But just like the movies, Ellie kept feeling that it wasn't real. She had her own doubts and Dally was no prince. She furrowed her brow as she tried to find a reason she could tell Darry. Defeated, she leaned back in the seat. "I don't know. It just happened."

Darry stared hard at the steering wheel. "Just...promise me somethin', El."

Even before the words came, she knew she should have jumped back at Pickett and Front.

"Just...don' let him treat you like he treats...well, everybody else." He stopped staring at the steering wheel long enough to glance at her before turning his attention to his hands. Boy, was he glad he didn't have a little sister, even if considered her as much. "Don't let him…you know...talk you into anything."

She wanted to crawl under her seat and die.

Incoherent rambling spilled from her mouth as she nodded and climbed out of the car. That wasn't the way she wanted her morning to start.

_And they may not want it to end,  
But it will, it's just a question of when._

Steve was leaning under the hood of Buck's T-Bird when he heard a car pull up and a door slam shut.

"How's it goin', man?" Steve asked as Tim Shepard approached him. He nodded a hello to Rick Bradley behind the wheel of his beloved Skylark. He was greeted in return with an upraised middle finger. Evie's brother sure hated him. The feeling was mutual.

"Buck wanted me to pick up his car. You almost finished with it?" he asked, offering a good, solid handshake.

Steve nodded. "Yeah, just finishing up with it now." He had been surprised Buck had brought his Thunderbird all the way out to their DX when there were closer garages to his roadhouse. Buck grinned that crazy, toothless grin of his and told Steve he only took his baby to the best. Steve didn't give a shit for modesty and had simply nodded in agreement.

As he continued working under the hood, he called out to Tim, "How come Dally was drivin' your car the other day?"

Tim shrugged, leaning back on the car beside Buck's, the one Larry had let Steve store behind his garage while he spent all summer fixing it up. Looked like it would take all fall, too, much to Steve's chagrin.

"That broad that's always with you boys stayed at Buck's, and she was late for school."

Steve nearly slammed his head against the hood of the car. "Ellie?" he asked, incredulously.

"Yeah," he replied.

Cleaning his hands on a rag, Steve's eyes narrowed. "Why was she at Buck's?"

Tim shrugged indifferently. "How the hell should I know? I ain't got time to keep tabs on your gang when I've got Curly to worry about. Why's anybody go to Buck's?" Tim found himself amused with the angry look on Steve's face. The kid was pretty angry all the time, but he looked close to putting his fist through something. Or someone. "You know as well as I do what goes down at Buck's. Now, if you want details, you'll have to ask her or Dal. I don't know nothin' about that."

Steve clenched a wrench in one hand and his rag in the other. No wonder she had been acting so strange Monday morning. Pointing a defiant finger in Tim's face, he said, "Ellie ain't like that." After a moment's thought, he muttered to himself, "I'm gonna fucking kill Dally."

Tim grinned at his last comment. "Well, now. It sounds like you ain't so sure what Ellie's like." Steve turned his attention back to him, looking ready to knock somebody's block off but hesitant to start with Tim Shepard's.

"That's all I know, Randle. Can you just hurry up here? I got places to be."

_I've lived long enough to have learned  
The closer you get to the fire,  
The more you get burned._

After Tim left the DX with Buck's car, a pack of cigarettes and a Pepsi- paying only for the car- Steve stewed in his anger until the garage closed. He headed home for a quick shower before he met Soda for their double date with the girls, hoping he could get his mind off of the thought of Ellie and Dally. It made his fists each time his mind wondered onto the topic in the last few hours.

By the time he was leaving his house, he couldn't take it anymore. He stopped in front of Ellie's window, rapping on the glass harder than he meant to. He needed to talk some sense into the girl. When there was no answer, he quietly raised the window halfway and glanced through the curtain only to find an empty room.

He hesitated for a moment before he made his way to the front door. He was greeted by her unpleasant stepdad.

"Is Ellie home?" he asked, with as much politeness as his east-side upbringing could muster.

Jimmy shrugged drunkenly. "I ain't got a clue," he grunted, annoyed with Steve for interrupting his evening of drinking at home.

Steve still stood on the doorstep, wondering if Jimmy would even check for him, when Abigail walked into the living room.

"Hello, Steve," she said.

"Ms. O'Hare, is Ellie home tonight?" he asked, ignoring the grunt Jimmy gave when he didn't call her by her married name.

"I'll go check, but I ain't seen her all afternoon. Said she was studying at Ponyboy's," Abigail replied, heading down the hallway.

"You her boyfriend?" Jimmy asked, leaning his weight onto the frame of the door to keep from falling over, Steve expected. "An; she's _Mrs. _Merchant now. Got it?"

He shook his head, keeping his eyes trained just over Jimmy's shoulder. "No, sir. Just a friend."

"'Friend', huh?" He chuckled. Steve ignored the comment. He was just surprised Jimmy didn't have a bottle of rum clamped tight in his fist. It would have fit the image of the drunken stepfather perfectly. The picture Steve always imagined those nights Ellie slept on the floor of his room or on the couch at Soda's. She always shrugged it off, saying things could be worse, but Steve knew it bothered her. The way his own dad acted toward him was different, but he figured he felt about the same as Ellie did after it happened, which wasn't great.

"She's got an awful lot of 'friends,' ain't that right?" Jimmy asked with another chuckle that grated like sandpaper across Steve's already shot nerves. He felt his fists ball up once more, and thanked God the second he saw Abigail round the corner.

"She must be gone, she didn't answer her door," she told him, glancing from Jimmy to Steve. She gave him a small, almost apologetic smile, one that looked so much more sincere coming from Ellie whenever the fuzz or some manager of some restaurant wanted to hassle the gang. A lot of things looked a lot more sincere on Ellie than on Abby, that was for sure.

"Thanks, _Mrs. _Merchant," he said, emphasizing her name as he made eye contact with Jimmy. Turning around and walking down the small, concrete path to the sidewalk, he cringed at the sound of the door banging shut as Jimmy slammed it. He was a shitty guy to talk to. It must be shittier to live with him.

He shouldn't have been quite so surprised when he walked over to Soda's and found no signs of Ellie.

"She was here earlier," Johnny told him through a bite of sandwich as he, Two-Bit, Darry and Pony played cards. "Dal picked her up and took her home. Said she needed to study."

Noticing the look on Steve's face, Two-Bit cocked an eyebrow. He realized it had been her excuse each time she was in a rush to leave anytime the gang was hanging out the last few days. "She's been doin' an awful lot of studying, hasn't she?" Steve simply nodded.

His sister Lucy liked to pull these little white lies about studying or chores to get out of being grilled about something. Like when he saw her hanging around that little scumbag from down the street- Mark Something-Or-Other. He asked her about it and suddenly it was like she had every test from every class she had ever taken to study for. Yeah, he knew that 'studying' routine pretty well.

Steve noticed that Two-Bit was catching on, but he didn't seem to know exactly what he was catching on to. Steve would have blurted it out right then, but he didn't know much more than what Tim had told him, which hadn't been much at all. He would wait until he talked to Ellie or until Dally gave him reason enough to smash a fist into his face. Which ever came first.

"Maybe she's had a lot of tests to study for lately?" Pony offered in her defense as Soda hollered for Steve to hurry up or the girls would be mad that they were late.

"Just stick to playing your cards, kid," Steve replied sharply. Ellie shouldn't need any defense; there shouldn't be anything for her to defend.

_I can't offer you proof,  
But you're gonna face  
A moment of truth._

Johnny hiked the football back to Dally. He looked for an open man and finally spotted Two-Bit near the make shift end zone. Steve easily tackled him before he could catch the ball.

"Easy, man," Two-Bit said, climbing to his feet.

He shrugged. He hadn't hit Two-Bit all that hard. Not hard enough to make him fall like a sack of potatoes the way he did. Steve couldn't help it if he did tackle him that hard, anyway. He was still pissed about what he found out the day before and the lack of explanations because he never did find Ellie.

Evie made it clear to him that she was pissed when he kept scanning the kids at the Dingo instead of paying attention to her. She made it _crystal_ clear when she sat on the other side of Soda and Sandy after he kept scanning the rows for Ellie's brown head to bob past. Evie's cold shoulder had done nothing but worsen his mood.

"You plannin' on going out for the team at ol' Will Rogers, Stevie?" Dally asked with a laugh, catching the ball when Soda pitched it to him.

When Johnny hiked the ball a second time, Steve ignored the fact that he was supposed to be covering Two-Bit and headed straight for Dallas. Shoving past a confused Ponyboy, he watched as Dally passed the ball to Two-Bit, who was standing well within the end zone. This time, it wasn't the football he was after. With all his strength, he launched his body into Dally's, knocking the breath clean out of both of them.

Dally tried to pull himself off the ground, but Steve wasn't finished. Pinning him to the ground with a knee to the chest, Steve growled, "Stay the hell away from her."

"Huh?" he asked betweens gasps for breath.

Finally Soda and Two-Bit had Steve by the arms, hauling him off Dally.

"What the fuck, man?" Dally snarled.

"You heard me," he said as he shrugged Soda and Two-Bit off of him and started to walk away.

"Fuckin' crazy," Dally muttered. That was reason enough for Steve.

He turned on his heel, and strode up to Dally before anyone could do anything. Without a moment's hesitation he landed a heavy right hook into Dally's unsuspecting jaw.

This time it took Two-Bit and Soda to hold Dally back as Steve walked away. He wouldn't mind a good fight, but that wasn't what he was after at the moment. He still needed to have a talk with Ellie before he tore Dally's head off in a fight.

_You just recover when another belief is betrayed  
So break my heart if you must,  
It's a matter of trust._

Ellie sat on her bed with her knees up to her chest, trying to focus on her homework for English when she heard a rapping on her windowpane. She was starting to wish those excuses to work on homework or to study that she had been handing out so freely had been true. The papers and books were piling up on her desk. She climbed off the bed and threw open her curtains. She couldn't hide the surprise on her face when she found Steve, standing outside. It had been Dally who had become a regular at her window, not him.

Opening the window for him, he easily lifted himself into her room.

"Steve," she said, trying to hide the shock and disappointment in her voice, "what're you doing here?"

Shutting the window behind him, he leaned against the wall with his arms crossed. She knew whatever he was doing there wasn't going to be good. He looked pissed.

"Sit down, Ellie." It was more of a command than a suggestion. She sat slowly. "We gotta talk."

"About what?" she asked. Even if she had an idea about the topic he wanted to peruse with her, she had already decided that the only way out of this was to play dumb.

"I think you know what I wanna talk about," he said simply, cocking an eyebrow.

She just shrugged and gave him a dumb smile. "No, I-"

"You think I'm an idiot or something?" he demanded. She shook her head, the surprise on her face genuine. "Well, I ain't. I know something's going on with you and Dally." She furrowed her brow in mock confusion, and he scowled at her. "I ran into Shepard yesterday."

She couldn't help the defeat she felt, and she knew Steve could see it too. "Oh," she said softly, suddenly finding the floor very interesting.

"What are you thinking, El?" he scolded, sitting on the bed beside her. "I mean, _Dally_? Anybody but Dally."

"He ain't so bad," she said, feeling like a child. Steve scoffed and she finally glanced back at him, long enough to shoot him an evil look.

"I mean it, Ella," he said seriously. "_Anybody_ but Dallas Winston." He put both hands on his face and fell back on her bed. "Dallas Winston. Jesus Christ."

Standing up, Ellie faced Steve as he lay with his hands covering his face. "I don't get it. Dally's s'posed to be your buddy, but you make him sound like an awful guy. If he's such a bad guy, why are you even friends with him?"

Steve looked at her from between his fingers. "Dally's my buddy. But that don't mean I want him datin' you."

She crossed her arms. "And you suddenly have such a big say in who I'm dating? Since when?" Ellie challenged.

Sitting up, he studied the defiant look on her face. He crossed the room, grabbing her by the upper arms and holding her at arms length. "Since always."

She crinkled her face in annoyance. She hated it when he treated her as though she were only seven. "Woulda been nice if someone told me about that."

Giving her a shake, he released her arms and ran his hands through his hair, frustrated. "Anybody but Dal," he repeated. "Hell, even Curly Shepard would be better for you than Dally. At least he's scared enough of us that he'd be good to you."

"Curly?" she asked in disgust. Shaking her head, she was determined not to be thrown off by Steve's suggestions of possible boyfriends and got back to the point. "Who ever said Dally wasn't good to me?"

Steve stopped his pacing long enough to give her a look as though to tell her she were stupid. "You're kidding me, right?" She didn't answer, so he continued. "Like you said, I'm Dally's buddy. Guys talk, you know that much."

Sinking onto the bed, she rested her elbow on her knee and placed her head in her palm. "Yeah, I know. I've _been_ there."

"Fine, so you know guys talk. You ain't got a clue about some of the things I've heard Dal say about his girls." Again, he took a seat next to Ellie. When he didn't continue, she glanced at him only to find him staring at her with an expression on his face that she couldn't seem to read. "You ain't sleeping with him, are you?"

Try as she might, she couldn't help the horrified groan that escaped her lips as she buried her face in both of her hands. "Oh, my God." The only thing she could think of at that moment was the story she heard from Ponyboy about Steve's talk with Johnny about girls. She didn't need a similar talk coming from him about boys.

"Ellie, your clothes were all wrinkled and you stayed the night at Buck's with him. Tell me ain't sleeping with him," Steve repeated, his tone the closest to pleading she had ever heard.

As the blushing crept up her cheeks, she moaned from between her hands, "No, I ain't!"

They were silent for a few moments as Steve tried to think of a way to reason with her and Ellie tried not to die of embarrassment.

"I'm just looking out for you," he said, punching her lightly in the shoulder, trying to lighten the mood.

She was ready to tell him to mind his own business when there was a knock on her window. Ellie groaned audible. _As if things couldn't get more awkward._ She walked slowly over to the window, opening it just as hesitantly.

Dally peered up at her, rubbing his jaw. "How the hell does Steve know?"

"What happened to you?" she asked, ignoring his question as she saw the bruise darkening on his cheek.

"Fucking Steve, man," he said, dropping his hand, showing her the damage.

Steve flipped the curtain back at the sound of his name.

"What're you doin' here?" Dally sneered.

Steve glanced between Ellie's blushing face and Dally's bruising one. "Nothing," he said, pissed that he wasn't getting through to her at all. He climbed out of the window and pushed past Dally.

_Some love is just a lie of the soul  
A constant battle for the ultimate state of control._

"Hey, Steve," Johnny said cautiously, perched on the couch next to Ponyboy as Steve stormed into the house. Darry glanced up from his armchair before going back to reading the paper.

"Hey, guys," he said distractedly, walking into the kitchen, where Two-Bit was plundering through the open refrigerator.

"Steve!" Soda yelled as he walked out of the bathroom. He punched his shoulder, but stopped smiling for a moment. "You gonna start another fight?"

"Long as Dal ain't here," he replied, knowing full and well where Dally was at that moment. He fought the urge to shudder.

Soda grinned again. "Nah, he ain't here."

"Then I ain't gonna start a fight," he said, falling onto the couch.

"What was all that about?" Johnny hazarded, hoping Steve wouldn't get the urge to clean his clock the way he did Dally.

Steve chewed on his bottom lip, wondering how he was going to say what he wanted to say. He tapped his foot impatiently on the worn coffee table for a moment. "I gotta tell you guys something."

Two-Bit leaned back on the arm of the couch as Soda flopped down on the floor with a Pepsi in his hand. "What is it?"

"I ran into Shepard today. You know how Buck brought in his T-Bird to get worked on?" he asked Soda. Soda nodded and took a gulp of his pop.

"Do you remember last week when Dally drove Ellie to school...in Tim's Bel Air?" They all nodded except for Darry, who joined the conversation by lowering his newspaper. No one must have filled him in.

"Well, Tim came to pick up Buck's car, and I asked him why Dally borrowed his car the other day. He said it was 'cause Ellie was running late to school and Buck's car was in the shop." Steve hoped they could deduce the rest, but they all stared at him in silence. He hesitated in saying it aloud. If he said it out loud, that made it that much truer. "He had to borrow Tim's car because Ellie had stayed the night at Buck's."

Soda coughed through his mouthful of Pepsi, and Two-Bit let out a low whistle. "What?" Soda asked in disbelief. "What's Ellie doin' staying the night with Dally? At Buck's?"

Steve raised a telling eyebrow, and Soda lost his grin. "Oh."

"Wait...do you guys think they're...you know?" Two-Bit asked, grinning from ear to ear and bucking his hips crudely.

"What?" Pony asked, looking a little lost as he glanced at each of his brothers.

Soda chuckled, ignoring Pony's question. "No way. Ellie wouldn't. Would she?"

Two-Bit shrugged. "I don't know, but two of them have been awfully friendly lately. I took her home the other night and Dal hitched a ride, too. I knew something was up with them."

Pony eyed his older brothers. "She wouldn't what?" He wasn't ignorant to what they were implying, but he liked to think he knew Ellie better than that.

Steve nudged Pony roughly in the arm, ignoring his question as well. "Did you know she was dating Dally?" he accused.

Pony shook his head vigorously. "No." He was silent for a moment. "But I guess it ain't really our business, is it?"

Steve nudged him again. "Hell yes, it's our business!" He looked up at Darry who had been silent the entire time. He eyed him carefully, expecting a bigger reaction from him. "Did you know about this?"

He shrugged. Soda reached up and punched his shoulder. "You knew and you didn't tell us?"

Darry shrugged again and folded the newspaper. "Pony's right. It ain't any of our business."

Steve narrowed his gaze. "It is our business. And how long have you known?"

He sighed and tossed the paper on the coffee table. "About this time on Tuesday."

Pony narrowed his eyes at Darry too. "How'd you find out?"

Darry fidgeted in his chair, feeling about as uncomfortable as Ellie looked when he took her to work the day before. "After you guys were bugging her all afternoon, then went outside to play football…I walked in on them kissing."

"And you didn't say nothing?" Soda asked incredulously.

Two-Bit held up his hands, as if a new thought has just occurred to him. "Wait a minute. You mean to tell me that we can kiss Ellie now?"

"No," growled a voice from the door.

_Some love is just a lie of the mind  
It's make believe until it's only  
A matter of time._

He looked over his shoulder to find Dally practically dragging Ellie through the front door and into the living room. She looked like a scared animal, ready to bolt the second he took his hand from around her waist. Her face was beet red, and she wouldn't look at any of them.

"Well," Dally said, giving her a small, rough push further into the living room. "Tell 'em."

Steve stood up quickly, ready to pummel Dally once more. Ellie glared over her shoulder at Dally. "I don't know how true it is anymore," she hissed.

Soda stood up from the floor and placed himself between Dally and Steve, just in case. They were both just as hot tempered as the other, and it was a wonder Steve walked away when he did, and Dallas, too. "What were you gonna tell us, Ellie?"

She still glared at Dally. He gestured to the guys and repeated, "Tell 'em. Call 'em off my case."

"Call us off?" Steve snapped. "What are we? Her guard dogs?"

"May as well be," he snapped back, gesturing to his bruised jaw.

"Guys," Ellie said, cutting them off. "Stop it. This isn't a big deal."

"It isn't?" Steve and Dally asked in unison.

"Will both of you just cut it out?" she snapped.

"No," Dally replied, leaning against the wall by the front door. He directed his attention to the rest of the guys, focusing mostly on Ponyboy. After all, he was her best friend. Maybe he could get the other guys to leave them alone. "We're dating. We ain't sneaking around no more. If you guys don't like it, tough."

Steve looked like he was ready to go for Dally's throat, but Ellie cut in. "Dallas, stop being such a jerk."

He shook his head, a smile on his face. She stormed past to him and yanked the door open.

"Then I don't know if we're datin' anymore." The cocky smile faded from his lips as she started out the door. She paused for a moment and spun around on her heel to face at a smirking Steve. "And wipe that smug look offa your face, Steve Randle. This ain't because of you."

They could hear her stomp off the porch as Dally tried, as coolly as he could, to rush after her.

_The cold remains of what began  
With a passionate start.  
But that can't happen to us  
_'_Cause it's always been a matter of trust.  
_

* * *

A/N: Can Dally stop being a jerk long enough for to work things out with Ellie? What's her cousin, Michael, been up to lately, anyway?_  
_


	15. Holding Out for a Hero

Disclaimer: We don't own the boys or the song. Those belong to SE Hinton and Bonnie Tyler.

* * *

_Where have all the good men gone  
And where are all the gods?_

Dally had been leaning against the window of the grocery store for almost twenty minutes and she was finishing her work as slowly as possible. She was still pissed at him for dragging her into the lion's den and for the looks and conversations she'd gotten from Steve.

Steve let himself into her room and lectured her for damn near an hour after all that fuss at the Curtises, hardly letting her get a word in edgewise. Dally could wait until the sun set and came back up for all she cared. He should have just taken her home that night instead of encouraging her to stay with him at Buck's. He knew better even if she didn't. That thought made her even angier because she had known better. Should have known better, anyway.

"Ellie, your friend's waiting outside," Joe said, nodding toward the window. "I think he's been here a while, too."

She turned back to the front window as Dally stared coldly at her. She could tell his patience had been thoroughly tested by the way he was giving her a piercing glare.

"I'll see you later, kiddo," Joe said, taking the mop from her.

She walked slowly to the back of the store, grabbing her jacket from a hook in the small break room and taking her time walking out the front door.

Dally stood in the middle of the sidewalk, glaring at her like he wanted to set her on fire. Ellie smiled and crossed her arms coolly, standing him off as she asked innocently, "What?"

He was still pissed at her for walking out and breaking it off with him in front of everyone when he was trying to get them off of their backs for dating in the first place. He hated that he ran after her the way he did.

"Stupid broad," he muttered, turning and walking off without her.

They were like fire and ice and Ellie knew it, but she ran to catch up with his long strides anyway.

"You can be pissed all you want, Dallas. But you don't have anybody to blame but yourself. You're the one who made this all so difficult," she said sharply as she caught up to him.

He stopped suddenly, whipping around and towering over her in the middle of the sidewalk. His eyes were as icy as ever and as a shiver traveled down her spine, she backed up a step.

"I didn't ask you to come to Buck's that night. You came all by your lonesome. Remember that? I'm tryin' to have a little fun and you're worried about the world finding out you ain't as innocent as everyone thinks you are," he said, keeping his tone low but harsh.

Ellie watched as an old couple walked around them, giving them both looks, the woman shaking her head disapprovingly as they walked away. She hated those looks; they rubbed on her nerves like sandpaper at times. It certainly wasn't helping her mood now.

"I wanted to go home and you wouldn't walk me back. Remember _that_? I didn't want to stay the night," she hissed. "You were the one-"

He cut her off by grabbing her arm and pulling her up against him. She stopped struggling when she saw the Camaro slowing in the street and pulling up to the curb. Three sets of eyes looking their way and one cocky smile aimed right at her. Fear gripped her and she clung closer to Dally. Looking up at him, she could tell he was playing it cool, though she could see the fire burning in his eyes. This wasn't going to be good.

"Hey Frankenstein," the lean, dark-haired boy called to her from the passenger seat. He was the one Two-Bit called Richard that day in the cafeteria; the one that gave her her new nickname.

Dally stiffened but remained cool, taking a long drag on his cigarette. He was waiting.

"Let's just go," she pleaded quietly. She gripped a handful of his shirt with white knuckles.

He didn't say anything, but Michael did. "Your boyfriend gets free rides to the police station, right, Frankie?"

"You're gonna get a ride to the hospital, Holden. That one'll be on me," Dally growled, pulling his cigarette from between his lips and flicking it toward the car. It sailed through the open window, rolling down Richard's varsity jacket and landing in his lap. He panicked, letting loose a high-pitched squeal as he scrambled to get out of the car before his pants caught on fire.

"Let's go, Dally," she pleaded again, trying to pull him away as the driver's door opened and the other two boys climbed out of the car. "Please?"

He ignored her, loosening her grip on his shirt. He pushed her behind him, away from the curb and toward the dark store windows that lined Front Street.

"Dally," she begged, "don't."

She should have known he wouldn't have listened. Instead, he lunged at Richard first, clutching his jacket in one hand and smashing his other hand into the center of his face. Blood poured out of his nose on contact, and he stumbled backward, falling into the shorter, blonder soc behind him.

"Get him, David," Richard ordered, wincing as the blood seeped through his fingers.

David stepped up, but even from Ellie's lack of fighting experience, she could see him hesitate. Suddenly this soc wasn't so cocky when it was one on one. It wasn't like the football field with pads and helmets and referrees calling penalties when things got too rough.

David hesitated and Dally saw it too. A small grin crossed his face as he grabbed David by a fistful of his clean-cut blond hair and a fistful of madras. He flung him back towards the store, and David hit the bricks beneath the store window beside Ellie with a dull sound and crumpled to the ground.

Ellie watched as Michael made his way onto the sidewalk, in no real hurry to help his friends but eager to start a fight of his own. He gave her a sickening wink as Dally spun around to face him. They both wanted the fight and Ellie found herself praying that Dally kept the upper hand. She didn't want both of them to end up in the hosptital over this.

Michael swung the first punch haphazardly, ready to get the fight going. Dally was smarter than that and easily dodged it. Before Michael could realign himself, Dallas swung, hitting him square in the jaw. It only swayed him slightly, and he recovered, getting a solid punch in. It knocked Dally back but not down.

She watched them deliver punch after punch, forgetting about the other two boys until they started to close in on Dally from behind. They had backed off for most of the fight, letting the other two duke it out until they saw Dally was gaining ground on Michael. It was only a fair fight if they were winning.

"Dallas!" she shrieked.

Richard clasped his hands together, bringing them down on the back of Dally's neck. He fell forward and was pushed into the side of the Camaro. The three of them pinned him there, swinging punches and beating him bloody. Ellie had never known Dallas to lose a fight to anyone but Tim Shepard, and she wasn't prepared to break any records.

Sprinting toward the fight, she leapt onto Michael's back and grabbed two handfuls of his hair, pulling him backward and off of Dally. She tried to remember all the little tips the guys had given her from time to time about fighting, but everything was going so fast, anything she previously knew seemed to fly right out of her head.

Michael pried her fingers out of his hair and swung blindly, but he connected hard with her nose. Ellie hit the ground and tried to scramble back to her feet. Michael was on top of her in seconds. Taking a handful of her hair, he yanked her halfway up before he dropped her.

Michael was suddenly on the ground beside her, with Dally beating the hell out of him. She watched, dumbfounded and with slight relief as he beat Michael senseless. Richard was still holding his bleeding nose, watching helplessly as David tried to pick himself off of the ground. In the commotion of pulling Michael's hair like her life depended on it, Dally had taken David's feet out from underneath him and introducing his head to the cement, and by the painful look on Richard's face, it looked like Dally had socked him in the nose once again.

Now, they could only watch while Dally lay into their buddy.

Two arms slipped under hers, startling her and pulling her to her feet. She turned to find it was Joe.

"Are you okay?" he asked, fatherly concern in his voice as he noticed the steady stream of blood running from her nose. "I heard all the commotion when I was leaving-"

Sirens pierced the air and Ellie saw the flashing lights closing in. She tried to slip away from Joe, but he held her firm as officers bolted from two cruisers.

"Dallas," she shouted as she watched them run over to the fight. One of them raised his night stick, shouting over the ruckus before he brought it down across the back of Dally's shoulders. He rolled off of Michael with a painful grimace on his face before two officers cuffed his hands behind his back and pulled him just as roughly to his feet.

She shrugged Joe off of her and dashed toward the officers dragging him away. As she caught up to them, a third officer grabbed her and pulled her to a stop.

"Whoa, there," he said. "Where are you going?"

"Let go," she demanded, stomping on his instep and running toward the cruiser they were loading Dally into when he let go.

The car door slammed with Dally on the inside. One of the officers that drug him away grabbed her before she could pull the door back open. She tried to shrug him away but to no avail. Dally gave her a cocky smile and a wink through the blood still streaming down his face. She gave him a helpless look and headed back toward the sidewalk with the other boys, the officer's hand on the back of her neck as a guide.

_Where's the streetwise Hercules  
__To fight the rising odds?_

Officer James McCoy rubbed his eyes tiredly. It had already been a long day, and breaking up a fight and grilling a bunch of teenagers for the real story wasn't what he needed. Especially when he already knew there was something else going on that no one was saying. Once again, he was pulling Dallas Winston off Michael Holden, with Ellie O'Hare falling into the picture somewhere. Something was certainly going on. He could tell by the way she lied to him when she was in the hospital. She was trying to protect somebody through that apologetic half-smile she gave each time she said she couldn't remember what happened.

Everyone was trying to speak at once back at the curb, and every time Ellie tried to open her mouth, one of the boys gave her a hot look. McCoy waited for a few minutes. He watched the scene unfold as his partner, Warner, tried to follow the finger-pointing amidst the shouting.

"That hood started it," one of them shouted over the others. He was pointed toward the cruiser Dallas was sitting in. "He flicked a lit cigarette into the car and when I got out so I wouldn't catch on fire, he punched me for no reason!"

"He did not!" Ellie exclaimed, stomping her foot down and trying without success to get the blood to stop streaming out of her nose with the back of her hand. "Y'all were the ones who pulled up and started yelling at us. You guys think you can just-"

McCoy caught the glare Michael was giving her. She must have seen it too because she shut her mouth and diverted her eyes to the sidewalk, her fingers clamping down on the bridge of her nose. A few seconds later one of them shifted, knocking her shoulder and nearly toppling her off of the curb and into the street. She regained her balance almost as quickly as she lost it and stood a little further from the boys.

"Hey, watch it now. You hear me?" McCoy warned. He looked at Ellie and nodded, trying to encourage her to continue. "What happened?"

She just looked at him the way she did at the hospital. A blank stare followed by a shrug of the shoulders. McCoy looked at her for a long minute before looking at the three boys who were all on the wrong side of town. He knew he wasn't going to get anything out of her in front of them.

Leaning toward Warner, McCoy said quietly, "I'm gonna talk to her alone."

He nodded, and McCoy put a hand on Ellie's shoulder and directed her toward the second squad car. She leaned her back against the side and after a few seconds, looked up at him with defiance in her eyes. All the kids on that side of town tried that look, but it didn't fit so well on her. She didn't have enough practice.

"Why don't you tell me what really happened?" McCoy suggested.

She shrugged and wiped more blood from her nose, spreading it across her cheek and the back of her hand. He pulled out a clean handkerchief and offered it to her. She took it and pressed it gently above her lip, still not looking at him.

"You going to let those boys tell the story?" he asked.

"Who cares who tells the story?" she asked, feigning confidence. "You're just gonna believe them and arrest Dally." Her gaze was set firmly on a spot between the edge of the sidewalk and the Camaro parked on the street as she spoke.

"Now, that just depends on the truth," McCoy reasoned. She was silent and didn't even appear to have heard him.

With a sigh, he looked back toward the sidewalk and saw all three socs staring daggers at her and a half a dozen more bystanders looking between all of them. When he turned back, he noticed her gaze had shifted to the second squad car. Dallas Winston was staring at her with a look in his eye that sent chills down McCoy's spine.

"Who hit you?" he asked.

Pivoting slightly on her heel, enough to break eye contact with Dallas, she opened her mouth but nothing came out. He wondered if she recognized him from the hospital or if she was just naturally inclined to keep her trap shut like this around police.

"Dallas did, didn't he?" he asked, waiting for the reaction.

Her eyes narrowed and she pulled the reddened handkerchief from her face and said assuredly, "No, he didn't."

"You sure about that? He was the only one swinging punches when we got here," he said. He added, almost as an afterthought, "That's why he's sitting in the back seat of a police cruiser and the other boys aren't."

"Dallas didn't hit me." She emphasized each word, her voice quiet yet confident in her reply.

"Who did? Was it Michael Holden?"

She didn't say anything, nor did she give him any sign that he was right or wrong. As much as he wanted answers, McCoy realized the less than ideal situation this was if that were the case. She seemed caught between a rock and hard place.

"In the past month, I have pulled Dallas offa that boy twice. Both times you end up in that picture somewhere, and both times you've been hurt," he told her, using a no-nonsense tone. "What's going on?"

He wasn't surprised when his question was met with complete silence from her.

_Isn't there a white knight  
__Upon a fiery steed?_

As the Camaro pulled away from the curb, Ellie felt her face flushing in anger. Dallas was cuffed, in the back of a cruiser, and those boys were free to joyride all across the state if they so pleased. Michael was right; a free ride to the police station for Dally and nothing more than a warning for him and his friends.

Joe helped her get her nose to stop bleeding. From his unprofessional analysis, he decided it wasn't broken, though Ellie silently disagreed, wanting nothing more than ice and aspirin. It felt like her entire face was swelling and probably bruising at the same time. _Just another thing for them to make fun of me_, she thought as she perched herself on the window sill of a closed up furniture store next to Joe. He offered to wait in case she needed a ride home.

She tapped her foot impatiently and watched the officers fill out their paper work and talk amongst each other, glancing between her and Dally every so often.

Finally, Officer McCoy made his way over to them as the other officers drove away with Dallas still smirking in the back of their car over his bloodied knuckles.

"I think we've got everything we need for right now," he said slowly, as if he was still debating something.

"Can I go home, then?" she asked, standing up.

"My partner and I are going to drop you off," he told her. He didn't seem to miss the nervous look that crossed her face as he said that.

"I can drive her," Joe offered kindly, standing up beside her. He was the closest thing she had to a father, and she suddenly wondered if he knew how much his kindness meant to her.

"That's all right, Mr. Thompson," McCoy replied, dismissing him with a wave of the hand. "Her parents are probably wondering where she is by now, and we can explain this whole misunderstanding for her."

The scoff Joe Thompson gave at the mention of her parents was quieted by Ellie's own plea. "That's really not necessary," she assured him.

"I'm seeing to it myself that you are getting home safe and sound, Ellie," McCoy said, leaving no room open for discussion as he gently took her arm and opened the car door for her. "Thank you for the help, Joe. Tell Margie I said hello."

_He's gotta be stong and he's gotta be fast  
__And he's gotta be fresh from the fight._

McCoy sat in the passenger seat in front of Ellie as Officer Warner navigated his way through the streets.

"Your address, Ellie?" McCoy asked tiredly.

There was a hesitation behind him. Turning around in his seat to look at her, she raised her chin slightly, if not defiantly. "719 St. Louis-"

He couldn't help the amused smile that crossed his face. "I don't mean your friends' address," he told her. She immediately dropped her eyes to her lap. "I knew Mr. and Mrs. Curtis well," he explained.

After questioning Ellie in the hospital, with her mother sitting angrily beside her, he thought to look into files on Ella O'Hare. He wasn't familiar with her, unlike most of the other teenagers on the East side. He knew her mother quite well, though. She had been one of those teenagers, in trouble at any given moment until she finally dropped out of high school. McCoy was surprised to find Ellie didn't have a record, considering who her mother and friends were. Sure, the Curtis boys were nice enough, but even the two eldest boys had had their own run-ins with the law, as minor as those may have been.

When he found Ellie had no record at the police station, he decided to check with Children's Services in North Tulsa. There was no shortage of information, but most of it dated back to one report eight years ago that put her mother in the hospital and led to a full inquiry by the state that had eventually been dropped. There wasn't much after that, just a few complaints called in that were never followed up.

"Address?" he asked again, though he remembered it from the files. He wanted to see if she would lie again.

"387 Boston Street," she said quietly. McCoy sat straight in his seat. _Good girl_.

The car was silent until Ellie finally spoke up again. "How much trouble is Dally in?"

Warner scoff from the driver's seat. "You ever seen that boy's record?"

McCoy ignored his partner and turned around in his seat to look at her. "He's in good enough trouble. Won't know for sure until he sees the judge in the morning. Depends on a lot of things. It could be a few days, could be a week. Could be longer if those boys press charges, but I don't think they've got much ground to stand on considering they didn't have much reason to be on this side of town."

As they turned onto her street, McCoy tried to reassure her. "You don't have to be so worried about this, Ella. You didn't do anything wrong tonight."

"Sure," she muttered.

"'Cept hangin' around people like Dallas Winston," Warner added, quieting down when McCoy shot him a look.

Ellie sighed when she saw Jimmy's truck parked in the driveway. She knew it didn't matter if she didn't do anything or not, the police had escorted her home. Jimmy was going to be pissed.

As the cruiser pulled up and stopped along the curb, Ellie tried to make a quick dash to the front door without the officers, but McCoy was out of the car and walking along side her.

"You really don't have to explain it them," she told him again, her pace slowing beside him.

He gave her a look and proceeded to the porch where he knocked on the front door. Ellie hung her head as she heard Jimmy's heavy foot steps on the otherside. This stupid policeman had no idea what he had just done.

The door flung open and a tall, lean man stood in the doorway. His gray eyes squinted in the fading light and he reeked of booze. He looked beyond upset to see a member of the Tulsa Police Department and his teenaged stepdaughter on his front stoop.

"Yeah?" he asked, looking hard at McCoy.

"Excuse me, Mr. O'Hare-" McCoy began.

"Merchant," Jimmy grumbled. He looked past McCoy and at Ellie who was staring at her shoes. "Wha'd she do?".

McCoy stood a little straighter and began, "There was a public disturbance out on Front Street that her friend ended up a part of. She got a bit of trouble herself, but we just wanted to see that she got home in once piece."

"Get the hell in here," Jimmy grunted, swinging the door open just enough for her to squeeze through. "Now she's getting in trouble with the fuckin' cops," he muttered.

McCoy didn't fail to notice how slow her steps were or how Jimmy glared at her with as much contempt as the boys back on the street seemed to.

"But like I said, she isn't in any trouble. We just brought her home so she didn't have to walk in the dark," McCoy reiterated.

"Thanks," she muttered as she walked inside, trying to make a dash for her bedroom before McCoy left her alone with Jimmy. With the door only open wide enough for McCoy to see him, Jimmy reached out and caught her arm just above the elbow and held her in a vise grip that nearly drew tears to her eyes.

She listened to their conversation, McCoy oblivious that Jimmy even had a hold of her the way he did. When she tried to pry his fingers from her arm, he tightened his grip and Ellie gritted her teeth and tried to not scream.

He finally shut the door and with a grip still on her arm, he stared at her with glassy eyes. Nothing happened until he heard the car door slam outside, and the cruiser pull away from the curb and disappear down the street. Once it was gone, he pushed her back into the wall roughly.

"What the fuck was that?" he demanded.

"Nothing. He told you I wasn't in no trouble. So lay off," she said flatly, hoping she sounded braver than she felt. Ellie stuck her neck out too far at times, fighting back at the wrong times.

"Lay off? You're getting brought home by the fuckin' police and getting in trouble left and right. I ain't gonna fuckin' put up with that, you little shit," he said, finally letting go of her arm but keeping her cornered against the wall.

Ellie gasped when he finally let go. She cradled it with her hand, trying to bend it and ignore the sharp pains when she did.

"I ain't havin' none of that. You hear me?"

"I didn't do nothing," she told him, trying to squeeze past him.

He blocked her path and shoved her back into the wall. "You get in trouble again and you're out of this house. I don't give a shit where you go, you just ain't gonna be here."

"That ain't for you to decide," she snapped, tired of being pushed around. First by Dally and the socs, then the cops and Jimmy. "You ain't nothing."

She could see him steaming before her and thought it would be better to get away from him. Taking a step to the left, she tried to go around him, but he grabbed her and pushed her so hard into the wall the few picture frames hanging there rattled and she winced.

"Now you listen to me," he said in a low, harsh voice. "I ain't your daddy, but I'm the closest thing you got so you're gonna do me the respect and start treatin' me like I am."

His fist hit the wall beside her head, not even inches away. She flinched at the sound in spite of herself.

He still blocked her path, towering over her and waiting for the smart aleck come back, but Ellie didn't give open her mouth. She didn't want to know how her nose was going to be feeling in the morning if she pushed him any further.

"Get the hell outta my sight," he said, stepping away and heading for the ice box.

She stared at him for a few solitary seconds before she headed down the hallway, slamming the bathroom door and locking it.

Breathing heavily she stared at her battered face in the mirror. Her nose was swollen slightly, and underneath her eyes, the skin was puffy and tender. There were smears of blood across both cheeks and all over her hands from her nose. Running water in the sink, she soaked McCoy's handkerchief in the water, scrubbing to get the red out of it. She felt as terrible as she looked and yet, all she could think about was Dally getting sent to jail and the socs getting off with nothing more than a warning to stay out of trouble.

_He's gotta be sure and it's gotta be soon  
__And he's gotta be larger than life._

By the time the front door slammed shut, Ellie was already lowering herself down from her window. She wasn't itching to listen to Jimmy give her mother some stupid story over something that wasn't even her fault to begin with. Even as she was pulling her window shut, she could already hear the yelling begin.

Glancing across the yard, she squinted in the falling darkness. Her first instinct was to walk over to Pony's, but she knew that wasn't a good idea. Not when Michael was brave enough to drive over onto their side of town and start something with Dallas in the middle of a public street. And not when she knew there would be a bunch of people around to make a fuss over it all.

Not in the mood to brave the walk, she turned and walked toward Steve's house.

Tapping on the dark window, she was afraid he wasn't home. It wasn't very late, and he could very well still be hanging out with Soda or out on a date with Evie.

Raising a tentative hand, she knocked a little louder and let loose a sigh when his bedroom light flicked on. She braced herself as he flicked the curtains back and lifted the window quickly when he saw her standing there.

"Ellie?" he asked. "Christ, are you okay?"

"Yeah, can I come in?" she asked, resting her hands on the window sill.

Pushing the window up further, he helped her through the window and into his bedroom. Once inside, she stood awkwardly, waiting for him to start in on her.

He sat on the edge of his bed, looking her over and asked, "What the hell happened to you?"

Leaning against the wall, she eased herself down the floor and rested her head against the wall beneath the window sill.

"Listen, Steve," she said, closing her eyes. "I don't need another lecture right now."

She opened her eyes when she heard the bed squeak and felt Steve sit down beside her. "What happened?" He gestured to her nose. "That ain't from Jimmy, is it?"

She tried to smile, but it hurt her nose and made her eyes water. He remembered the last guy who took his anger out on her. It had been a long time ago, and though it was worse for her mother, it had been hard enough on her, Steve remembered. "I'm sure he wanted to when the cops dropped me off."

"You kiddin' me? What happened that the cops had to bring you home?"

"Dally picked me up from work tonight and-"

"Did that asshole do that to you?" Steve demanded, standing up suddenly and looking as though he was ready to rip Dally's head off, no questions asked.

"Cool it, Steve," Ellie said, grabbing his arm to keep him seated. "Dally picked me up from work and we ran into a few socs. They thought it'd be a good idea to gang up on him, and I guess I just got a little too close."

"Yeah, I'd say you got a little too close. Wha'd you do? Jump into it?"

She just looked at him with a wary expression.

"You jumped into the middle of it? Shit, El, you ain't bigger'n a minute, and you're jumpin' in the middle of a fight with Dally and a bunch of football players?"

"They all ganged up on Dal. What was I supposed to do?" she asked. "I ain't seen him lose a fight like that and I wasn't about to let him go down and have them decide to gang up on me once they finished with him."

"Shit," he sighed, surveying the damage. "Who were they? Was it Holden?"

Ellie nodded slowly. "Him and a couple other guys. The guys from the cafeteria the other day."

Steve nodded. "What about Dally? How's he?"

"They arrested him, and then thought it'd be a great idea to bring me home and walk me to my door."

"Yeah, they're some swell guys, ain't they?" he said sarcastically as he rose to his feet. "I'm gonna see if we got any ice. Might help with the swelling some."

"Thanks, Steve," she said softly as he stepped out into the hallway.

A couple of minutes later he came back into the room and Ellie tossed the old car magazine she was blindly flipping through back to its place on the floor. She furrowed her brow when he offered her a bottle of Pepsi.

"What? No ice?" she sassed good-naturedly.

"No. My old man musta used it all. That'll work 'bout the same. It's cold enough," he said.

She pressed it against her face gently and gave him a crooked smile.

"Thanks, Stevie," she said.

"No problem, kid," he replied, tossing his pillow off the bed at her feet. "You can use my pillow. You do want to stay, don't you?"

She nodded and situated her makeshift bed on the floor beside his bed and stretched out, still holding the cold Pepsi bottle against her nose. Things were quiet for a few minutes after Steve shut the lights out and flopped down across his bed.

"They fightin' over this?" he asked about her parents.

"Probably. I didn't want to stick around to hear what all Jimmy was gonna tell my mom," she said quietly. "He'll make up some bullshit story and she'll probably believe it."

"Yeah, well, most of 'em ain't good for nothing," he said, low and bitter. "Guess most of us know that, though."

"Guess so," she affirmed. "You sure you don't mind if I stay here tonight, Steve?"

He turned on his side and looked over the edge of the bed at her. "You know I don't care. You haven't stayed over in a while. How come you didn't walk over to Pony and Soda's?"

She squirmed under the blanket, hating to admit just how scared all of this was making her. "They came all the way over to Front Street to find us."

"You think they were looking for you?"

Ellie shrugged up at him, unsure if they were looking for her, for Dally or for both of them. "I think it woulda been an awfully big coincidence if that weren't the case. Especially after what Dally pulled, comin' into the school and everything."

Steve was silent for a moment before he said, "Ellie, you just gotta tell us and you know we'll have it out with them. Just say the word, kiddo."

"I know," she said quietly, staring up at the dark ceiling, feeling her eyes misting and thanking all that was holy that it was dark. "But I don't wanna have to visit all of you in jail."

_I'm holding out for a hero  
'Til the end of the night._

* * *


	16. She Is

Disclaimer: We don't own Susie's boys or The Fray's "She Is."

_

* * *

_

_For now you're not here  
And I'm not there,  
It's like we're on our own._

Ellie walked nervously into the small room that served as a lobby, stopping in front of the counter to wait for the officer to notice her. He was focused on what looked like important paperwork. She stood precariously on her tiptoes to see over the folder on the high counter and narrowed her eyes when she spotted the crossword he was so diligently working on. She cleared her throat noisily.

"Yeah?" he asked gruffly without looking up. He grinned at the paper and Ellie watched him fill in another word.

"I'm here to see Dallas Winston," she stated coolly, crossing her arms.

He sighed and sat the folder and word puzzle down with a bang. His gaze narrowed when he saw the kid standing in front of him. "'Scuse me?"

"I'm here," she stated slowly and loudly, "to see Dallas Winston."

"A little young to be hangin' around the jail, huh?" he asked. "Listen, little girl, why don't you go back to your mommy and stop hangin' around bums that are in county lock up?"

"I have every right to be here," she pointed out confidently.

"Visiting hours aren't until Sunday, sweetie," he informed her. He looked over his shoulder at a calendar hanging on the wall. Nodding toward it, he said, "Seems that today is only Tuesday. You'll just have to come back later."

She stared him down. "He might not be in here 'til Sunday and I would like to see him today," she said, pushing her luck but trying to be polite about it.

"Dallas Winston? That kid might as well call this place home, he's here so much. The county oughta start chargin' him room and board," he scoffed. Nodding toward the set of doors across the room he said, "There's the door. See your way out and come back on Sunday. I'll be more than happy to let you visit with Dallas."

His orders were given and the officer picked his pencil back up and started scanning over his word puzzle again. Ellie glared at him with mild disbelief. She wasn't going anywhere until she could, at the very least, see Dally.

Leaning across the counter as best she could, Ellie rudely placed a finger in the middle of the puzzle. "I think that should be an 'a,' not an 'i,'" she told him like he was an idiot.

He glared at her before he snapped the folder shut, hiding the puzzle and nearly giving her a dozen paper cuts. "Now listen here, kid," he began, pointing his finger in her face. "You see yourself out those doors or I'm gonna-"

He was cut off by a folder plunking down in front of him. Ellie looked to find McCoy standing beside her. "Sign her in, Griffins," he said in that same forceful, yet calm voice he used the day before.

Griffins raised his brow slightly, questioning the order before he shook his head slightly as he practically tossed the clipboard in Ellie's direction. Grabbing his crossword pencil, she filled in her name, Dally's name, the time and the date. Placing it back on the counter, she shoved it back in Griffins directions, knocking off his folder and word puzzles.

"Goddamnit," he muttered as he bent down to pick them up.

"I'll show you back to a holding room," McCoy said before he turned back to Griffins. "Be sure you let 'em know Winston's got a visitor before you start a new _Reader's Digest_."

Griffins just nodded as McCoy grabbed the folder he had just sat down on the counter. Ellie glanced at it as they headed down the hallway. The full name of the prisoner was scrawled across the top of the folder and Ellie smirked. Dally's file.

"Just brought him back from seeing the judge," McCoy said, noticing her attention on the folder. "I tried to be kind in my report, but that'd be a hell of a lot easier if you'd all just give me the story straight."

Ellie ignored the latter comment. "How long is he gonna be in here?"

"Ten days, give or take for good behavior. Not a bad sentence when you consider the charges of public disturbance and assault and battery."

"But you know it was self-defense!" she said as McCoy opened a door for her.

"I don't have any proof that the other boys started it," he explained. "His sentence was fair, but you can be sure that if that boy starts one more fight with Michael Holden, or any of his friends for that matter, the judge ain't gonna be so kind. I'm surprised he was so lenient this time." He gestured to the bare room they entered. "Have a seat. Somebody'll be in with him in a minute."

Ellie sighed as the door shut behind her and she plunked down in an uncomfortable metal chair.

_To figure it out, consider how  
__To find a place to stand._

Dally lay on the bunk, studying his knuckles as he clenched and unclenched his fists. He suggested to the officers the night before that they ought to swing by the hospital to get some x-rays of his hands and make sure he hadn't fractured anything while he was busting open those socs' faces. The fuzz weren't very interested in the idea and ignored him.

"Winston!" an officer called down the hall as he made his way to Dally's cell. He didn't move. "Winston, get off your ass and get over here."

"What the hell do you want?" Dally said, still lying on his back. "I just got back from the judge. I ain't got nothing else on my schedule for about ten more days."

"You got a visitor," Jones replied, pulling out handcuffs from his belt.

"No shit," he muttered to himself. He climbed off the bunk slowly. "Who is it?"

"Ain't gotta clue," the older man said, cuffing Dally's hands through the slot in the bars. "Sure don't know who in their right mind would take the time to visit you."

Dally grinned at him as the door slid open. "That makes two of us, Jones."

They walked down the hall, passing the few other juvenile delinquents that were stretched out in their cells.

"Where the hell are you goin', Winston?"

Dally looked over at the leader of the Tiber Street Tigers. "I got me a visitor, Bridges."

Will smirked at him, wincing through the new shiner on his cheek. "Now, who would come visit a hood like you?"

"That's what me and Jones were just discussin'," he replied, nodding his head in Jones' direction.

"Know for a fact it ain't Sylvia," Will said, that stupid smirk still on his face. "The only one she would come to visit would be me."

"Don't count on that," Tim Shepard muttered from his cell beside Will's. "I think you know from experience she don't wait around. That broad runs around. Ain't that right, Dal?"

"Fuck you, Shepard. You're just pissed 'cause she ain't never come on to you," Dally said.

"That ain't a problem," Tim remarked, saluting Jones as he passed by his cell. "I'll count my blessings."

"Turnin' a little soft, Shepard?" Will asked.

"Bridges, next thing you know, that broad's gonna start chargin' for her trouble," Tim remarked. "She'll charge double for assholes like you with tiger tattoos all up their fucking arm. Looks like it was done by your little brother when he was drunk off his ass, too."

"And what's the Shepard gang gonna get tattooed? Sheep? That's fuckin' tough, Tim," Will blasted sarcastically.

"My boys don't need shitty tattoos for people to tell which gang they belong to. Shit, Bridges, how many of your boys cried when they got theirs?"

"My boys can take that shit. Your boys would probably pass out cold 'fore the needle even touched 'em. Fuckin' pussies."

"You fellas keep it up and I'll stick you both in the same cell," Jones warned. Dally saw Tim smirk through the dim light above his cell. "We'll let you two duke it out to the death and we'll all take bets on the winner."

Dally gave Jones a shit-eating grin. "Wow, Jones, that'll teach 'em."

He didn't respond. He only gave Dally's arm a hard jerk as they turned the corner. He could still hear Will and Tim mouthing off to one another. They were both itching to be dumped in the same cell together so they could continue their brawl that had gotten them both arrested in the first place. All Dallas wanted was to pop them both a good one right in the mouth. Especially if he was going to have to listen to them mouth off to each other about their fucking gangs for the next week and a half.

_This is gonna break me clean in two,  
__This is gonna bring me close to you._

Jones swung open the door to the holding room, and Dally scoffed when he saw Ellie sitting primly behind the table.

"What the hell are you doing here?" he muttered as Jones pulled out the chair across from her and stuffed him down in it. Jones then took to his post in the corner of the small room.

Ellie looked at him for a second, seemingly amused by how short they had cut his hair before he went before the judge. He knew how funny it looked on him, and he didn't need her to keep staring at him like that.

"Nice to see you too, Dal," she said coolly, staring at him with her arms crossed on the cold metal table between them. Realizing the officer wasn't going to leave them alone, she said quietly, "You oughta be nicer to people. Maybe then you'd get more visitors."

Dally smirked at her. "I don't need any visitors. You oughta know that by now, El."

"You come here to hide or something?" she asked, trying to not look at the officer that was staring her down intently.

He shrugged, a grin still on his face. "I come for the free room and board." He leaned back and rested his cuffed hands on the table. She looked at them thoughtfully, her eyes wider than usual as they searched the cold metal and his busted knuckles.

Nodding toward them, she asked, "They hurt?"

He looked at his hands. They hurt like a bitch, but he wasn't about to admit that. Clenching and unclenching them without so much as a flinch, he said nonchalantly, "They been busted open lots of times. This ain't no different."

She nodded and looked down at her own hands quietly. Jones cleared his throat and Dally decided to keep the conversation going rather than go back to his cell so soon.

"How'd you get down here?"

"Steve drove me here once school let out. He's waitin' outside," she told him.

"I take it Steve got that old junker fixed up," Dally appraised. "I thought he said it would take him a while longer."

Ellie nodded. "Yeah, but I guess he and Soda found some part they needed."

"Musta found it pretty cheap," Dally appraised, winking at her. It was probably hot as an open flame.

"Well, yeah," she confirmed, knowing better than to say anything more than that in front of a cop. "It sounds as bad as it looks, but he seems to think it's running just fine."

She kept glancing at Jones, who was still leaned against the wall, looking bored as all get out. "I heard you're in here for a while."

Dally gave her a bored shrug. "I got company. Shepard's in here. Both him and Will Bridges from the Tigers got picked up for fightin' this morning. Tim said the Tigers were messing with his boys, but I think it was really his boneheaded brother screwing with Will's guys." He studied her face for a moment. Her nose looked better than it had the day before, but then again, it wasn't gushing blood like it was the last time he saw her. "How's your nose?"

It was her turn for an indifferent shrug.

"I can't believe you jumped into that fight. I didn't know you were that stupid," he said flatly. Jones pushed himself off the wall at the last comment as if Dally were going to hop out of the chair and kill them both. He bit his jaw to keep from smirking when Ellie's brows furrowed and her eyes narrowed. Pissing her off never got old to him.

"Stupid, huh?" she asked, pulling her arms across her chest, folded indignantly. "Yeah, I guess it was pretty stupid, me getting into that fight to save your sorry ass."

Dally glanced over his shoulder as Jones relaxed again and lean back against the wall.

"I had a handle on that fight," he said, returning his attention to her.

Ellie nodded, a smart aleck look on her face. "Sure," she agreed sarcastically. "All three of them ganging up on you, but _you_ had a handle on the fight. They had you pinned against that car, Dally. You couldn't even move."

Jones glanced at his watch. "Let's wrap it up, you two."

"Is that why you came down here?" Dally snapped. "To rank me out for standing up for _you_? Hey," he said, putting his hands up and leaning back in his chair, "I coulda just stood there and let them boys do what they wanted, kid."

"Like they would have once they beat you unconscious?" she asked, her tone dropping the sass and turning quiet and serious. "What would have happened then?"

Dally was silent as he let that sink in. The fact was that it never occurred to him. Staring at his hands on the table, he said, "That wouldn't have happened, El." He met her eyes before he gestured between the two of them. "See? We're both here in one piece. I had it handled. 'Sides, there were people on the street. They weren't going to touch you."

"Yeah," Ellie said, and Dally didn't miss the smirk that crossed her face for an instant. "Thanks to me helping you out, right?"

Dally scoffed. "Sure. I guess you found Super Soc's weakness. Pulling his hair and trying to claw his eyes out."

That time, a genuine smile crossed her face and stayed there. She was a real looker when she smiled like that. Not in the flashy way like Sylvia. Ellie was just pretty. She was simple and something different than the trash he usually went for.

"It worked, didn't it?" She paused for a moment, like she was trying to find the right words. "I know you were just trying to help, but next time, could you hold back until the numbers are a little more even?"

"I'll see what I can do," he said before he cleared his throat and glanced back at Jones, who was giving him a cold stare. "I mean, I ain't gonna be fighting anybody no more. I've learned my lesson, just like I told the judge earlier." He gave Ellie a wink as he turned back to look at the officer. Sometimes he liked to feed their egos with the same bullshit he tried to feed to the judge, but they were beyond that these days.

Jones pushed himself off the wall and gestured for Dally to stand up. "You're full of shit, Winston."

"Worth a try," he said as he stood up from the metal chair. Jones opened the door and Dally turned back to Ellie, grinning at her. "Since you came all the way down here to see me, does that mean we're back on?"

Ellie looked up and smiled at him. "I'll have to think about that." Dally glanced over his shoulder, his grin faltering as she murmured, "Dallas Mathias."

He stopped dead and looked at her, a surprised expression on his face. "What?" he asked, baffled as to where that came from.

"How come you never told me your middle name was Mathias?" she asked, her eyes bright with mischief.

He gave her a cool look, a scowl etching its way across his face. "Guess it never came up in conversation."

Her smirk turned into a full fledged smile, and she looked like she might burst into giggles. Dally's eyes narrowed until his gaze became a flat-out glare.

"Where's a name like that come from?"

"Shit," he murmured. "Guess I never told you I was baptized, did I?"

"Ain't that supposed to cleanse you of your sins or something?" she asked.

"Yeah, it fucking burned when they did it to me," he replied. "My momma thought she could save me."

"There ain't nothing that can save you, Winston," Jones scoffed, gripping Dally's arm, ready to lead him back to his cell. "There ain't a confessional in a thousand miles that'd be able to handle you."

"Does your mother know she wasted a lot of time doing that?" Ellie asked.

"Winston here is a lost cause, kid. Why do you think his momma gave him up and sent him back here? He ain't just the spittin' image of his daddy. He's just like that sonufabitch in every way. Ain't that right, Winston?" Jones said harshly.

Ellie's smile faded as she watched Dally's face go dark. If he had decided to break Jones' nose for that comment, he could have, with or without the handcuffs.

"Fuck you, Jones. Your kids gonna grow up to be as big of a prick as you?" he asked, looking at him dangerously.

They stared each other down as Ellie sat quietly, fidgeting with her hands on top of the metal table. The door opened and McCoy walked in, softening the tension only slightly.

"Jones, escort him back. Dallas, be good, and maybe you'll be out on good behavior," McCoy said evenly.

Dallas chortled before cutting his eyes back to Jones. "We'll see about that."

"I wouldn't push it, Winston," McCoy replied, gesturing for them to leave.

_It's all up in the air  
__And we stand still  
__To see what comes down._

Ellie groaned silently as she listened to Dally mouthing off to Jones the whole way down the hall. She just hoped he didn't lose it and hit the guy. He would be spending the rest of his life in prison.

She followed McCoy out of the room and into the hallway, heading the opposite direction from where Dally was surely making trouble.

"I was heading back to the station," McCoy explained, holding a door open for Ellie to pass through, "but I thought I would stick around. Good thing I did, too," he added.

"Dally wouldn't have done anything," Ellie defended, all too quickly.

McCoy cocked an eyebrow. "I bet," he said doubtfully. "I thought you might have a change of heart and want to spill the beans."

Ellie held his gaze but kept her mouth shut.

"Or I just wasted my time," he muttered to himself. "I'm driving back to the station. Do you need a ride anywhere, kid?"

She shook her head. "I have a friend waiting for me."

McCoy nodded before he headed for the doors.

"Officer McCoy?"

"It's Lieutenant," he corrected as he turned to face her.

"Sorry," she said meekly. "Thanks for helping Dally out with the judge. He was doing the only thing he knew how last night."

"Well, he needs to figure out a better way to solve problems," he replied.

She nodded in agreement. "I'll bring by your handkerchief once I get it cleaned up," she added.

McCoy shrugged slightly. "Don't worry about it. I get a new one three times a year."

Ellie furrowed her brow. "Why three times?"

"Father's Day, my birthday, Christmas," he answered, ticking off the reasons on three fingers.

Ellie laughed quietly, and McCoy smiled at her. "Take care, kid." He stopped at the front door and glanced over his shoulder at her. "And try to make sure I don't see you or Dallas around for a while, huh?"

"I'll try my best," she said. From the look on his face, Ellie could tell he didn't think that was much of a promise. She couldn't blame him.

_To figure it out,  
Consider how  
__To find a place to stand._

"So, how was the jailbird?" Steve asked from the fender of his car. It was an Olds that Soda helped him salvage from the junkyard earlier that year. Larry let him store it at the garage, as long as he kept it in the back with a tarp stretched across it when he wasn't working on it. Larry didn't want anybody thinking his business was taking care of junked up cars. Steve said he still had a few kinks to work out, but it was drivable, which was good enough in their neighborhood.

"Stubborn as ever," Ellie replied, heading to the passenger side door as Steve headed to the driver's side.

"Yeah, well, what else is new?"

"Nothing, I guess," she agreed, watching out the window as he pulled out into the street and revved the engine loud enough she wanted to cover her ears. "You've got to do something about how loud this junker is."

"It ain't a junker, Ellie, it's an antique. Besides, it's supposed to be loud," he told her matter-of-factly.

Ellie rolled her eyes and stared blankly out the window as Steve rambled on about how great his piece of shit car was.

"Me and Soda scouted out the right parts for this engine," he said with a laugh as she ignored him. "It's a Rocket V8 and you're callin' it a junker. I can't believe it. Shit, El, when this car was first bein' sold, it was one of the fastest cars out there. I'm gonna have to test it out this weekend."

She zoned him out, wondering if Dally made it back to his cell without breaking Jones' jaw and if he was going to wind up spending the rest of his natural life behind bars.

"_Since you came all the way down here to see me, that mean we're back on?"_

She could still hear the cockiness in his voice because he knew as well as she did that she'd be waiting for him when he got out. And she knew as well as he did that they would kiss and make up and do what God only knew they would end up doing.

"Ellie? El-la? Hello?"

Ellie shook the visions of Dallas out of her head and looked at Steve. "What?"

"Did you hear a word I said?" he asked.

She shook her head and replied, "No."

He gave a curt laugh and watched the road for a few seconds before he said, "While you was sittin' there daydreaming about Dallas, I said that me and Soda are gonna take Evie and Sandy and shoot the loop in this baby come Friday night."

"Are you really going to do that when it still looks like this?" she asked.

"Looks like what? She's a beauty," he said, patting the dash. "Maybe bang out a few dents in the fender, a new paint job if I can afford it, and she'll be as good as new."

"Oh, Steve. It still looks like a piece of shit. Are you at least going to find some decent hub caps for it?"

Steve grinned. "I've already got some in mind. I'm going tonight to pick them up."

"Does Evie know you intend to shoot the loop in this thing?" Ellie asked.

"No," he said. "It's going to be a surprise."

"That's 'cause you know she won't want to do it," Ellie pointed out with a grin.

"She'll be fine with it," Steve said, shrugging it off. "She's been buggin' me about not having a car anyway, so this'll keep her happy."

"Uh huh. Keep telling yourself that," she said.

"At least I have a car. Dallas don't have shit," he said, an edge to his voice.

"He can take Buck's car all he wants," Ellie defended.

"He can't, he just does. Buck doesn't care if he borrows it every once in awhile. I've seen Buck try to knock Dally's lights out for just takin' that car whenever he damn well pleases," Steve said, swinging a right on what felt like two wheels.

"I ain't never heard Buck say anything to him," Ellie said.

"Right. You've been to Buck's, what, once?" He glanced at her before turning his attention back to the road.

"Dally says Buck just lets him borrow it when he needs it," Ellie told him. "Buck just tells him to fill it up when he brings it back."

"Sure, that's what he tells Dally now. How do you think Buck lost them teeth in the first place?" Steve asked. "They don't exactly get along all the time, but he lets him stay there so damn much 'cause he wins him so much damn money."

"Are you always going to be like this?"

"Like what?" Steve asked, pulling up in front of the Curtises.

"Pissed off that I'm dating him?" she asked, dropping the annoyance from her tone.

"Yeah, probably," he said, nodding. "Just don't let him touch you."

Ellie rolled her eyes. "He's my boyfriend, Steve. He's supposed to touch me."

"God," he groaned, pushing his door open and climbing out. "Just don't tell me anything."

She winked at him over the hood of the car. "Will do, Stevie."

_This is going to bring me clarity,  
This'll take the heart right out of me._

Dally counted numbers in his head to keep his cool until he thought he would have no choice but to bust Jones in the mouth. He kept trying to get a rise out of him by talking about good ol' Charlie Winston. Dallas only resisted because he wasn't going to give the asshole the satisfaction of seeing him locked up for longer than already planned.

Out on the streets, Dally may have a negative reputation with the fuzz- which was always a positive in his book- but he was one of the better behaved hoods when he was behind bars. Though he didn't have much of a problem disturbing the peace and being arrested, things were different when he was behind bars. He hated being jailed. Sure, he'd brag about his record until he was blue in the face, but he hated the powerlessness of being locked up.

Maybe it had something to do with being arrested when he was ten. He had been so sure his momma would drop everything and pick him up as soon as she got the call, but when she didn't show up right away, Dally suddenly wasn't the mouthy ten-year-old hood the fuzz had arrested. He was the ten-year-old kid that was ready to shit his pants until she finally showed up the next morning. He really thought he was going to spend the rest of his life in that tiny cell.

Man, he hated jail.

Jones kept running his mouth as he uncuffed Dally at his cell, but arguing down the line drowned him out.

"Would you just shut the fuck up?" Tim cursed.

"You're just pissed because you know my boys would kill yours anytime, day or night," Will countered.

"Would you both just shut the fuck up?" Dally hissed as Jones slammed the bars with a loud click that never failed to turn his stomach. His suggestion was met with a chorus of quiet agreements from the other boys in the cells around him, as Jones ignored them all and headed back to whatever job the lazy bastard did between monitoring visitation hours. "None of us gives a shit whose gang is better. Both of 'em are just as shitty as the other."

"Says the candyass that ain't even in a real gang," Will muttered.

"I don't need to be in a fucking gang, Bridges. Ain't no one tells me what the fuck to do."

Will was quiet for a moment, a welcomed sound for the whole block, until he opened his mouth again. "Who the hell was visiting you, anyway?"

"Just some broad," Dally replied, sitting down on the hard bench that lined his cell.

_Some broad_. Ellie sure was full of surprises. He didn't even know why she came to see him anyway; it wasn't like she or anyone else ever had before. Maybe she wanted to yell at him or cry about his sentence but restrained herself when Jones didn't leave the room. Hell, maybe she just wanted to come and have a look-see of where he was living for the next week and a half. And now she fucking knew his middle name. He wanted to laugh and pound his fist into the cement wall at the same time.

"That chick that was at Buck's a while back?" Will scoffed and slid off his bunk. Sauntering up to the bars and looking into Dally's cell, Will rested his forearms on the bars. "She ain't much of a looker. Not like Sylvia, anyway." Dally resisted the urge to reach up and snap his arms right then. It wouldn't have been hard, given the way the bastard was standing. Will knew it too and give him a tight smile.

"You mean she ain't as much of a tramp as Sylvia," Tim corrected.

Will looked over his shoulder to the other side of his cell. "What's with this broad? You bangin' her too, Shepard?"

Tim gave Will a phony grin that looked misplaced on him.

"Nah," Dally said, a smile on his own face to match Tim's. "She's with me and she don't date shit like you two."

Will scoffed again and Dally wondered if he could beat him in a fight through iron bars.

"Sure. 'Til the next best thing comes along, huh? But she don't look like she's got much to offer. How 'bout when you're done with her you give me a try and I can see for myself?" Will wiggled his eyebrows until they couldn't be seen under the dark, greased hair that hung over his forehead.

Dally was ready to try a fist fight through the bars that separated them when one of the rookie officers made his way down the row of cells, doing a head count and making sure nobody was bleeding on the floor from a brawl. It looked like he had pretty good timing, being fresh meat and all.

The officer gave all of the inmates the same scowl that looked like he was just trying to hide the terrified look on his face as he slowly walked by. Will grinned back at Dally.

"Shit, man. The night that broad came to Buck's lookin' for you, Sylvia was pissed somethin' awful."

Dally thought the teeth in Bridges' head would look better shattered on the floor, but he just leaned his head back against the wall.

Will continued, "Swear to God, Winston, I ain't never had a better lay in my whole life than that night."

"We got a problem over here, boys?" the rookie asked, standing far away from the bars.

"No, sir," Will said with a two-finger salute. "Move along, Porky," he muttered, loud enough for the officer to hear.

The kid looked at him for a long moment, losing the staring contest and decided to take Will's advice and move along.

"Mmm, I'm gonna have fun with that one," Will commented. "It'll be too fuckin' easy."

"Christ. Do you ever close your fucking mouth?" Dally asked.

He knocked his fist against the wall behind him as Will started running his mouth again. He decided not to punch anything made of cement ever again with busted knuckles and walked over to the bunk as Bridges kept on talking. The jail issue mattress was thin, but it still managed to be lumpy as hell. Either way, it was better than sleeping on a concrete floor.

Closing his eyes, he rubbed his face and tried to drown Will's voice out of his head. He kept thinking about Ellie and how she was the first one to ever visit him in jail. He really didn't give a damn if anyone came; he actually didn't want anyone there. It made the time go faster and it made it so he didn't miss anything on the outside. Now he missed her. How he let that fucking happened was beyond him.

He could have dove across that little metal table and kissed her the way they had in Buck's car the day he came to the school. He would have too if Jones hadn't been in the room with them. Damn prick probably would have clubbed him across the back for even touching her.

Dally smirked to himself as he remembered the way she'd smiled and opened her mouth to protest when he asked if they were back on. She knew as well as he did that she couldn't resist. She'd be waiting for him and he was going to do more than just make up for the time he was spending behind bars.

His lips were itching already. A smoke would help that.

"Anybody got a cancerstick?"

_She is everything I need  
__That I never knew I wanted;  
__She is everything I wanted  
_

* * *


	17. Lady

**Disclaimer: These boys aren't ours. Please give the credit to Ms. Hinton. And Lenny Kravitz gets all the credit for "Lady."**

* * *

_I'm crazy for this little lady.  
__I'm freaking for my little baby  
_'_Cause she makes me feel good._

The hallways were suffocating, just like they always were when everyone was trying to run out of the building at the same time. It didn't help matters that it was a Friday and people were moving faster than usual, eager to start their weekends.

Pony did his best to lead the way to the front doors with Ellie half a step behind him. She clutched her books against her chest, her hair falling across her shoulder and hiding the scar on her face. It didn't stop the jokes that seemed to have exploded over the last week after Dally's altercation with Michael and his friends.

"Have a good weekend, Frankenstein," someone said as they walked passed her.

She acted like she didn't notice and kept going, but Pony saw the way she was gritting her teeth in anguish. It bothered her and even though it was only a handful of people cracking the jokes and giving her trouble, it was really starting to get to her.

"At least that one wasn't so bad," he said sheepishly, trying to raise her spirits. "It was almost nice."

She gave him a skeptical look but tried to give him a small smile. "Yeah, almost."

"They'll forget about it sooner or later. Just don't let them think it gets to you," he said. "They're just tryin' to get a rise out of you."

"It doesn't get to me," she said, her voicing falling flat when there should have been confidence behind it.

Pony bit his lip and wished he hadn't started on such a touchy subject. He tried another one instead.

"What do you want to do this weekend?" he asked. "We could go to the movies or something. Maybe Steve wouldn't mind dropping us off in his new car."

Ellie shrugged. "I guess so. Do you know what's playing?"

"I think _The Cincinnati Kid_ is still playing," he said, holding the door open for her. "Steve McQueen?"

They stepped outside and her face suddenly brightened as she looked out into the parking lot, a smile spreading across her lips. She rested a hand on Pony's upper arm and had to pry her eyes away from the street to look up at him.

"Rain check?" she asked.

"Why?" he asked, trying to follow her gaze over the crowds of students.

She nodded toward the end of the bus lane and Pony saw the red Thunderbird parked along the curb.

"Looks like he didn't break that cop's nose after all," she said. "They let him out early."

Pony saw Dally throw an arm across the seat and watch the two of them. He beckoned her over, waving his hand slightly. She waved back and looked back at Pony.

"We'll go see it another time, I promise," she said as she skipped down the rest of the steps. She stopped at the bottom and looked back up at him. "Take Johnny to see it. He'll dig it being a poker movie and all."

Pony grinned and shouted back, "I'll ask him. Maybe we can learn a few tricks and hustle you next time."

"We'll see about that," she said with a laugh. Giving him a wave, she ran off toward the Thunderbird.

"Where's Ellie?" someone asked from behind him.

Pony turned to see Steve and Two-Bit walking up behind him. Pointing toward the end of the curb, he said, "Over there. Looks like Dal got out early."

"I'll be damned," Two-Bit appraised. "How's he always manage to be such a goddamned saint when he's locked up? I ain't never been let out early."

They all watched as she yanked the door open and slid into the car. From there they could see her hesitate slightly before the two of them locked lips.

"Christ," Steve muttered, giving Pony a slight push to get moving as Dally squealed Buck's car out of the parking lot. They walked across the busy lot, dodging both Soc and greaser cars along the way. "Why didn't you put the moves on her, kid? I don't have to worry about you."

Pony gave him a sour look and said, "Are you kidding me?"

Steve yanked his car door open and slid inside with a huff. Two-Bit grinned crazily at Pony from over the hood of the car and climbed in himself. Pony barely had his door shut when Steve started and gunned the engine, tearing out of his parking spot, and almost running a couple of girls over.

"Dallas and Ellie. Jesus Christ," he muttered, pulling out of the school parking lot and onto the main drag.

"Now what's wrong with that?" Two-Bit asked, losing the grin on his face.

"What's wrong with that? Are you fucking kidding me, Two-Bit?" Steve growled. Pony caught Steve look back in the rearview mirror at him. "I don't want to say nothin' in front of the kid, but come on. Think about some of the shit he's talked about his girls."

Pony felt his ears start to burn as his imagination kicked into gear. He'd been in on those bull sessions and suddenly the image he'd had of Ellie and Dally wasn't as simple as he thought.

"She's already spent the night with him and God only knows what really happened," Steve grimaced.

"Glory, Steve, what are you? Her daddy or something? She's fifteen and it ain't like she don't know what she's getting in to. She ain't stupid," Two-Bit said. "You gonna fashion her some fancy chastity belt or something?"

Steve looked back at him again, and Pony swore he saw fire flaring out of his nostrils.

"Did she say where she was going?" Steve asked him.

He shook his head and said with extreme caution, "No, she just said she owed me a rain check for the movie we were going to see and ran off. Why?"

He just shook his head and ignored Pony's question. "Two-Bit, are you and Kathy going out tonight?"

"Yeah, I gotta give her a call later tonight. You and Evie got plans?"

"I'm pickin' her up later and we're going to the ribbon to show off the new car. You two wanna tag along?" he asked, fumbling with the steering wheel as he pulled his comb through his hair.

"I'll check with Kathy. I think she wanted to go to the Dingo to eat, but that girl changes her mind so many times, I don't know where we'll end up," Two-Bit said with a sigh. "You coming, Pony?"

Pony caught Steve's eyes in the mirror and knew what his answer was for that. "No," he said, glancing out the window. "I think me and Johnny are going to the movies."

It was quiet for a moment before Steve said, "I wonder where they're going."

"Who?" Pony asked, pulling out his pack of cigarettes.

"Dally and Ellie," he snapped.

"Geez, Steve, just give it a rest," Two-Bit suggested. "Would ya quit worrying? You're gonna drive yourself crazy."

"I ain't driving myself crazy," Steve said.

"Well," Two-Bit said with a grin, ignoring the scowl on his face, "you're sure driving us crazy."

_Don't need all my other ladies,  
__I'm beggin' for this little lady._

"I can't believe you guys are just gonna sit there and let them do that," Steve stewed from his seat in the corner booth at the Dingo.

Soda gave a chuckle and draped an arm around Sandy. "If you want to go over there and tell Dally what he can and can't do with El, be my guest." He glanced over his shoulder to the booth where Ellie and Dallas were getting nice and cozy. "I don't feel like gettin' beat to a pulp, and I bet you don't either."

"Yeah, Steve," Two-Bit chimed in. "'Sides, all they're doing is sitting there. You gonna call the fuzz on him for putting an arm around his girlfriend?"

"You two ain't even facing them," Steve pointed out. "You don't wanna know what they were just doing before you two looked over there."

"Well, I'm sure it was something that we weren't doin', wasn't it?" Evie asked, crossing her arms and sitting back in the booth angrily. "Maybe we oughta trade places with Soda and Sandy so you can focus on more important things, like me."

Steve tried to hold back a sigh as he tore his eyes away from Ellie and Dally looking all too comfortable in the booth on the other side of the restaurant. They had been busy having too much fun to notice their friends walk in. He knew Evie was getting mad that he hadn't paid her much attention, but somebody needed to keep an eye on Ellie, and Soda and Two-Bit didn't seem all that concerned

Turning to Evie, he rested his arm across the seat. She rolled her eyes and started talking to Sandy, and it only pissed him off all the more. Their group chattered on but Steve didn't hear anything as he watched Ellie and Dally as they became rather friendly with one another from the corner of his eye. Dally's arm was slung possessively across her shoulders, his hand hanging down and playing with the collar of her shirt. She had a smile on her face and was laughing at something he kept whispering in his ear. Steve wanted to throw up.

He tasted bile when she pulled him in and started kissing him. It didn't take long for Dally get into it, and Steve watched with disgust as they started making out in their booth.

"It ain't a peep show, Steve," Evie huffed, snapping him out of his trance.

Two-Bit let out a low whistle and laughed good-naturedly until he saw the scowl on Steve's face.

"Oh, come on, Steve. Like I said earlier, she's fifteen years old. What were you doin' at fifteen?" Two-Bit asked.

"That's different," he said with a shrug.

"Why?" Kathy asked incredulously. "Because she's a girl?"

Steve opened his mouth to respond but realized it might be better if he kept his mouth shut for the time being. It was one thing to have Evie mad at him. He didn't need all of her friends mad at him too.

"She's just having a good time," Two-Bit said.

Kathy laughed as a bottle of Pepsi tipped over on the wayward table. It was near empty, but the brown liquid poured out and the two of them didn't even notice.

"I'll say she is," she said with a smile.

"Why do you have such a problem with this?" Soda asked, tearing his eyes away from Ellie and Dally.

Steve pulled his arm off of the back of the bench and leaned forward on the table. Looking seriously at Soda, he said, "He's her first boyfriend. Think about that for a second. She ain't got a clue what she's getting into with _him,_ and do you really think Dally's gonna be all nice-like and go slow with her? She's gonna get hurt."

"Yeah, true, but it's Dally we're talking about. Ellie ain't exactly Sylvia or half his other girls. He knows Ellie better than that and he knows better than to do something stupid if we're all watchin'," Soda said, sticking up for them. "Besides. I think she's the one puttin' the moves on him. Look at her."

Their entire booth was staring past the various booths that seated a handful of other necking teenagers and focused on the table in the corner opposite them. It wasn't too unusual to find teenagers making out at the Dingo, especially on a Friday night, but Ellie stuck out to Steve and he felt like cringing. She had a grip on one of the lapels on Dally's jacket and was now sitting on her knees, giving her lift to sit as tall as him and significantly more leverage.

"Yeah, I see her and so does everyone else," Steve muttered.

Evie faced him, sporting a disgusted look on her pouty face. "That's never stopped us from making out here before."

"No, but that's different," he contested.

"How?" she snapped, tossing her dark hair back over her shoulders.

"Shit," Steve cursed under his breath. "It's Ellie-"

"Yeah, yeah. It's Ellie and you're crazy, Steve Randle!" she said. "You an' I've been dating since I was fifteen and you didn't have any problems making out with me all over creation."

"That's different," he repeated. "You were more-" He caught her glare and shut himself up. He was digging a deep hole he wouldn't be able to climb out of.

"You better not finish that sentence," she warned hotly.

"You're getting yourself all worked up over nothing. She doesn't ever have any fun, Steve, especially with all the shit that's been happening to her lately. Let her have a good time for once," Two-Bit said seriously. "I mean, look at her. She hasn't looked that happy in a while."

Steve watched her for a second as she sat back down and resumed talking over the kissing. She did look happy, but she didn't need to making out with Dally to find a reason to smile.

"She has lots of fun with Pony, don't she? They were going to go to movie until Dally showed up." He looked at Soda. "How come you didn't try and set those two up? Nobody's gotta worry about that kid."

"Well," Soda drawled, glancing over his shoulder again, "I don't think Pony's ready for that kind of fun. We'd probably have to worry about him, not her."

Dally's hand was dropping dangerously low, past Ellie's collar, and Steve did his best to look away as Dally tried to cop a feel.

"You can't tell me you would let your sister do this in public," Steve said to Two-Bit flatly.

Two-Bit shrugged slowly. "Lucy ain't interested in that just yet. I ain't had to deal with it."

"But when she is, you wouldn't let her do it, would you?" Steve implored.

Two-Bit sighed slowly, glancing over at their friends getting friendly in the booth. In his hesitation, it seemed that he was almost seeing Steve's side of the argument.

"Nah, I guess I wouldn't. But there's a difference between Lucy and Ellie. Luce is my sister. Ellie's our friend," he said, balancing the situation with his hands. "Nothing is going to happen, Steve. For one thing, we're at the Dingo and second, we're all just across the room. Would you rather them head over to Buck's for the rest of the night?"

"Don't even suggest it," Steve said, emphasizing his words.

Sandy placed her drink on the table and looked at Steve almost thoughtfully. "Why's it any of your business who Ellie kisses?"

Steve let his glare fall on Soda's new girl for a moment. He still wasn't sure how he felt about Sandy. She seemed nice enough, but she was quiet around the gang. Soda said it was because she was still new and they made her nervous, but Steve didn't think that was any kind of excuse.

"'Cause obviously there ain't no one else giving a damn who's trying get up her skirt," he growled, causing Sandy to busy herself with another sip of her cherry soda and Soda to send him a glare.

"Hey now," Two-Bit said, a smile on his face. "We care, but our little Ellie is all grown up now, Steve. She can decide for herself who gets up her skirt."

Soda choked on his drink, and the girls were trying to stifle their laughter. Steve scowled at the comment, ignoring the temptation of knocking Two-Bit out of the booth and beating some sense into him. Somebody needed to keep an eye on Dally, especially with the way his hands were resting on Ellie's lower back. His fingers were playing with the hem of her shirt, and Steve decided he finally had had enough.

"That's it," he said. "If you guys aren't gonna do anything to stop this, I will."

"No, you won't," Evie declared firmly as Steve tried to nudge her out of his way. He couldn't go anywhere in the booth if she wouldn't stand up. "If you go over there, I'm leaving and you can just forget about showin' off your car with me beside you. And that goes for Kathy and Sandy, too," she volunteered.

Steve could feel a headache beginning to mount as Two-Bit and Soda both started complaining to their girlfriends about unfair punishment. He leaned back in his seat and bitterly crossed his arms.

_I know she's a super lady.  
__I'm weak and I've gone hazy._

"How come you're out so early?" Ellie asked, breaking away from their kiss.

"I can behave myself if I want to," he said, a wicked smirk on his face.

"Maybe you should behave more often," she suggested. "You could see a lot more of me."

"True, but it ain't no fun to be good," he said. "Some of Tim's boys got busted for starting stuff with the Tigers, and a whole mess of them were hauled in, so a couple of us good ol' boys got let off early."

"Well, I'm glad," she said with a smile. "It's been hell all week at school."

His face went dark and he looked away for a second, a scowl forming on his face and his arm tightening around her. Ellie thought it was because of the mention of the socs until she looked up to see Will Bridges and Sylvia Slagle heading toward their table.

"Fuck," he muttered. "As if I didn't have to listen to his mouth enough in the cooler."

"This seat taken, Winston?" Will asked, motioning toward the empty bench across the table from them.

Sylvia popped her gum loudly and Ellie looked up at the pair. Sylvia stared back at her coolly. Will's tattooed arm was wrapped snugly against her waist, his hand resting in the back pocket of the tightest pair of jeans Ellie had ever seen.

"Yeah, it's taken. Get lost, Bridges," Dally said, lighting up a weed and stretching his legs out under the table and resting his boots on the bench. "Ain't you a little far from Tiber? Shepard's boys look like their still itchin' to whoop your ass."

"I'm just takin' my girl out, Winston. I'm not lookin' for trouble tonight," he said, winking at Ellie. "Unless you wanna oblige."

"Didn't we see enough of each other this week?" Dally asked, puffing smoke in Will's direction.

"Ain't you the one that came and saw ol' Dallas in jail?" Will asked, looking down at Ellie.

Ellie nodded, looking at him cautiously. He was staring at her with a piercing gaze, his eyes hard and foreboding. They sent shivers down her spine, and she broke eye contact with him first.

Sylvia gave a self-satisfied sigh as she looked down at Ellie. "Oh, Dal, I didn't know you were so hard up."

Dally's arm tightened around Ellie's waist as he tapped the ashes off his cigarette. He was quiet for a moment, and she took a deep breath as she opened her mouth.

"It looks like you're the desperate one around here," she said as boldly as she could. It didn't come out quite as tough as she hoped it would, and she wondered if Sylvia even heard her above the clamor of the rambunctious crowd in the restaurant. She knew she had when the flirty smile on Sylvia's face became and even glare.

Will's gaze lightened up at Ellie's comment, and he turned his attention to Dally. "My offer still stands, Winston," he said with a wink.

Dally crushed his cigarette in the ashtray and dropped his arm from around Ellie, while she wondered what offer he was talking about. He pushed past her, nearly spilling her onto the floor as he tried to get out of the booth. He was heading for Will as Ellie regained her balance and Sylvia ducked into the booth to get out of the way.

Dally had Will's shirt clenched in his fists when Two-Bit, Steve and Soda walked up, their strides calm but purposeful. The way Two-Bit winked at her and Steve glared at her, she realized they had been at the restaurant for a while. She looked across the room at their girlfriends sitting in a booth and was greeted with a wave from both Kathy and Evie and a weak smile from Sandy.

"So, sweetie, you two were awfully quiet the other night," Sylvia said, her chin resting on her hand as she picked through the uneaten food on the table, ignoring the boys shoving each other next to them.

Ellie looked away from the boys. "What are you talkin' about?"

"Me and Will had a lot of fun that night, but we didn't hear nothing out of you and Dal," she said with a fiendish smile. "Guess Dal ain't all that hard up, if you get my drift. It's okay though, you'll be able to catch one of them Shepard boys when Dal's through with you. They're so desperate they'll take just about anything."

Ellie was at a loss of words for a few seconds, Sylvia's words sinking in bitterly. Finally finding her tongue, she said as coolly as she could, "Well, it's not like he's got to worry that I'm sneaking around behind his back. I don't gotta use my charms to make him or anyone else want me."

"And what charms are those, honey?" she asked, waving behind her.

Ellie didn't have the slightest idea what kind of charms she could be using on any of the guys she knew, so she ignored Sylvia's question. "At least I'm not sleepin' with half of Tulsa," Ellie blasted.

"At least I can have any boy I want," she replied, a smirk on her face. "I don't gotta make one feel sorry for me to be with me."

"He doesn't feel sorry for me," Ellie said, her hands clenched at her sides.

"He could just be usin' you. He's pretty good at that," Sylvia said, leaning back and appraising Ellie carefully. "I give it a week. Tops."

"It's already been over a week, hasn't it, Ellie?" someone said. Ellie looked up and saw Evie walking towards them with Kathy and Sandy on her heels.

"It don't count when they've been in jail," Sylvia quipped.

"That why you're so good at runnin' around on him?" Ellie snapped.

"Just 'cause my boy gets sent to the cooler don't mean I gotta spend my time doing nothing, same as them," she returned.

"Yeah, that's a real good excuse," Evie said. Grabbing Ellie's hand, she said, "Come on, El. The boys are leavin' without us. We'll see you around, Sylvie."

Evie pulled her toward the door where the guys were waiting outside. Will was standing against a table as the girls brushed past him. He looked at Ellie and grinned wolfishly at her.

"Maybe I'll be seeing you around sometime, dollface," Will said as she walked by, suggestion in his tone.

She wanted to say something smart back to him, but Evie was pulling her away too fast and he made her nervous as hell. Ellie broke his cold gaze on her and followed the girls outside.

'_Cause you know she's no fool.  
__She's refined._

"Christ, Dally," Steve was saying, "why are you starting shit with the Tigers? Leave that to Tim and his boys."

"I ain't starting nothing with the Tigers," he said, fishing another cigarette out of his pocket. "It's with Bridges, not his gang."

"You just got out of jail and you're fighting at the Dingo?" Steve said, pulling a cigarette out of his own pocket.

"What the hell is your problem, Randle?" Dally asked, swiping a match across his medal.

"Steve's pissed you're getting lucky in a booth at the Dingo when he isn't," Evie informed him, studying her manicured nails.

Dally's scowl worked its way into a crooked smile while Ellie toed at something invisible on the ground. Her face had caught fire.

Steve looked as if he were about to continue the brawl Dally almost had with Will, but Evie stamped her foot impatiently on the sidewalk before he could say anything.

"Can we go already?" she asked, wrapping her hands around Steve's arm. "It's getting dark and what's the point of shooting the loop to show off your car if nobody can see us?"

Finally pulling his glare away from Dally, he glanced down at her. "Fine."

He shot his eyes in Dally's direction again as if to give him a final warning before he turned toward the parking lot where the others were waiting by his car. Evie flounced beside him, sending Ellie a smile over her shoulder.

Dally took Ellie's hand as Steve pulled out of the lot, tires screaming on the pavement, and he led her toward the Thunderbird parked at the end of the row. He took a seat on the hood, and he wrapped his arms around her waist and looked at her.

"What?" she asked with a little smile on her face.

"Wanna get outta here?" he asked. "I gotta get this baby back to Buck 'fore long."

She chewed on her lip for a second, considering the option.

"I want to," she said sweetly. "But I gotta work in the morning."

"Don't go," he suggested.

"I have to," she said.

"You ditch school, ditch work, too," he said with a smirk.

"I ditched school once and that don't matter. I don't get paid if I don't go to work," she told him, taking his hands and holding them down at her sides.

"You ditched twice, Princess," he corrected her.

"Okay, I ditched twice, but that was school. I'm not ditchin' work," she said with laugh.

He was thoughtful for a moment. "Word at the jail has it that Shepard's getting out tomorrow, along with his boys that were picked up this morning for fighting. And when I stopped by Buck's to get the car, word had it that he was throwing a party."

It was Ellie's turn to be thoughtful. She had felt uncomfortable enough at Buck's when she was just there to see Dally. She wondered how she would feel to actually stay during the party. "I don't know, Dal."

"C'mon, Ellie. You ain't never been to a party 'til you've been to one of Buck's."

She was still hesitating when she spotted Will and Sylvia walking out of the restaurant and stopping to talk to a few people on the sidewalk. "Is Will going to be there?"

Dally scoffed and Ellie could hear the edge behind his voice. "Maybe. He seems to be showing up a lot lately, moving into Shepard's turf. Tim's bein' such a pussy, too. Won't do anything about it."

"What was Will talking about earlier? What offer was he talking about?"

Dally shrugged. "He was just talking the shit he always talks."

"I don't like him."

Dally grinned at her. "Not many people do." He looked over to the sidewalk where Sylvia was hanging all over Will and laughing too loudly. "So why don't you come tomorrow and we'll make both of 'em jealous?"

Dally's genuine grins were rare and it was hard to keep from returning her own smile. "Oh, yeah? And how do we do that?"

They both glanced back at Sylvia who was studying them intently while Will ignored her.

"Like this," Dally explained, standing up from the hood of the car and leaning down to plant a kiss on Ellie's lips. When he finally pulled back, Ellie stole a glance in Sylvia's direction. She looked annoyed, her hand rested high on her hip. Even from that far away, Ellie thought she could hear the annoyed pop of her gum.

"I think I'm up for that," she replied, a smile on her face.

_Don't you know she blows my mind?  
_'_Cause she makes me feel good.  
__She's so mine._

* * *

_A/N: We love you all for putting up with our ridiculously slow updating. We're trying. _


	18. Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy

**Disclaimer: We don't own the boys or the song. Those are all SE Hinton's and Big 'n' Rich's.**

_

* * *

_

I buy the bar a double round of Crown  
And everybody's getting down  
And this town ain't never gonna be the same.

There was a crowd gathering around the bar at Buck's, with more people than usual interested in something Tim couldn't care less about. He leaned back in his chair, nodding hellos to his fellow greasers that were greeting him. It would seem he and Dally had both been in jail for months rather than a few days, but if it gave Buck an excuse to throw a party, it didn't matter. He needed something to take the edge off his boys.

Will and the rest of the Tigers had been steadily moving into the Shepard territory in the last few weeks, and it was driving his boys crazy. It was bugging Tim, truth be told, but he had ties with Will's gang; he didn't see the need to be burning Bridges just yet. As much as their boys seemed to hate each other, the two gangs worked well together in the transportation and selling of hot merchandise.

Everything had been going swell until Tim found out Will had crossed the downtown boundary of their gangs, knowing Tim wasn't willing to share that much. Curly stepped into the middle of everything and tried to take care of it himself. The kid didn't know how to organize things like that. So instead of an organized council like he should have formed, he went down there half-cocked and ended up getting the shit beat out of him.

Any other time, Tim may have told Curly he got what he deserved for not thinking things through. Any other time, though, it wouldn't have involved Will Bridges. When Curly came crawling back home, whining about it all, Tim took the liberty of making a surprise visit to Tiber Street to have a nice and peaceful talk to Will about unfair fights and ignored boundary lines. When the nice and peaceful talk didn't work, Tim tried his next best tactic. That was when the fuzz rolled in and arrested them for fighting.

Not only did he have to spend the next few days listening to that asshole run his mouth in jail, he also had to miss out on what sounded like a good fight that Rick Bradley set up. From what Curly explained to Tim, Rick led a handful of Shepard's boys down to Tiber for a surprise rumble. They were mostly rookies in something Rick explained to them as 'initiation.' Tim was just happy that when he watched them all get hauled in, he didn't see Rick anywhere in the crowd. The last thing he needed was Bradley's sister spouting the waterworks all over him.

Tim wasn't much for an unfair fight, but he couldn't do much about it since Will had started it all. In the past thirty hours he had spent jail-free, Tim hadn't heard a peep from the Tigers, so he figured everything was squared away for the time being. Until Will had the guts to screw with Tim again.

He downed the rest of his beer and pushed the bottle to the center of the table, already littered with empty bottles from him and the few boys of his that weren't in the cooler for the rest of the weekend. Will hadn't been around the party yet, but in case he changed his mind, Tim wasn't going to let himself drink past a good buzz.

The crowd around the bar had eased up slightly, and he noticed the small figure that had most likely attracted the attention. It looked like the girl Dally was dating. The kid who had gotten jumped by the socs and now appeared to be slinging back shots of something she didn't look like she could handle. From the little bit he had heard from Curly, that chick wasn't the type to do that. She certainly didn't seem the type from what little he did know about her, but it was hard to judge someone laid up in a hospital bed. No wonder what the fuss was all about. Pushing his chair back, Tim made his way to the bar.

"What're you doing to her, Dally?" Tim asked, seeing an empty shot glass in front of her. She almost looked sick, but she was still sitting okay. He wondered how many times that single glass had been filled and refilled.

Dally waved at Buck to pour another couple of shots and said with his cigarette bobbing between his lips, "Just showin' her a good time. The real question is, Tim, what are doin' about Will fucking Bridges walking around this part of town like he owns it?"

"Don't worry about it, Dallas. It's handled," Tim assured him vaguely, watching Buck take a look at Ellie and fill her glass. He nodded at him for a couple more beers. "I own this side of town."

"I can tell, Shepard. You gonna let Brumly move in next?" Dally asked as Buck filled his glass.

"You just worry about getting your girl wasted, and I'll worry about how I'm running my gang," Tim suggested. He could see Ellie's cheeks redden from where he stood. He didn't mean it as harshly as it sounded, but he didn't care. The girl should know better.

"Go fuck yourself, Shepard," Dally muttered.

"You're the one that keeps running your mouth, Winston," he replied, as Buck slid two beers across the bar. Tim tightened his fists around the necks of the bottles, hoping Dally would keep it up. His fight with Will didn't get very far before the cops showed, and he had been anxious to finish it. Right now, he didn't really care who he finished it with.

Buck seemed to notice the tension between the two because he shook his head as he passed beers to a few other kids at the bar. "If you two are thinkin' of startin' a fight in here, I'd think again if I were you."

Tim clapped Dally roughly on the back. "Nobody's starting a fight, ain't that right, Dal? Not in here, anyway," he added with grin.

Dally shot a glare in Tim's direction before nodding his head slowly. "Whatever you say, Tim."

Dally slid a glass in front of Ellie, and Tim joined the handful of spectators circled around, waiting to see if she'd do another one. Dallas downed his and looked at Ellie, waiting with the crowd. Tim saw her glance back at him, the glass held tightly in her hand. She looked embarrassed by the attention and his comment about her drinking. He almost felt bad. Almost.

After much deliberation with herself and much encouragement from Dally, Two-Bit, and the other guys and their girls hanging around them, she finally drank it.

"Atta girl," Dally said. He tapped the bar with the empty glass for another, and Ellie shook her head.

"That's it, I'm done," she stated, glancing back at Tim.

"C'mon, kid," Dally insisted as Buck poured them another. "You're the one that said this week had been hell for you." He cut his eyes down a couple seats to where Two-Bit and Kathy were sitting. "Ain't you watching out for her?"

"It's nothing I can't handle," she said.

"Hey," Two-Bit said, his arm slung over Kathy's shoulder and his words slurring, "we're keepin' our eyes peeled for their shit. 'Sides," he added with a grin, "if Rich Vinson still wants to keep givin' El a hard time, I got a good plan for his kid sister."

"What kinda plan?" Kathy asked, eyeing Two-Bit carefully. He just laughed.

"Nothin' you gotta worry about, dollface."

Dally slid the new shot in front of Ellie again and gave her arm a nudge. "Here ya go." He paused for a moment. "Unless you can't handle it."

Ellie narrowed her eyes at Dally before taking the glass in her hand once more. "Like I said, nothin' I can't handle."

Tim shook his head with a smirk as Ellie swallowed the shot, a foul expression on her face.

_Well, I don't give a dang about nothin'…  
__While the girls are drinking  
__Long necks down._

The music and hoots and hollers were subdued with the barrier of the door, and Tim was enjoying the nighttime air all to himself. It was cold and for once the party hadn't spilled out into the gravel parking lot. No one was checking out new rides or blasting car radios in a vain effort to drown out Buck's questionable choice in music.

He stuck a cigarette between his lips and cupped his hand around it as he lit it. Tossing the match away, he took a deep drag and listened to the party inside. The sound changed as the door opened a hair and Ellie stepped outside.

Tim watched her, but she didn't even notice he was there. With uncertain steps she pulled the door closed again and gripped the railing opposite him. She held on with both hands and groaned something inaudible and leaned over the rail and stared at the ground below. She leaned her entire body into the rails, her head drooping further down and Tim reached out and slid his arm around her and pulled her back.

The contact seemed to wake her back up. Her head popped back up and she leaned her back against him to steady herself as he pulled her back. After a couple of seconds, he let go and she turned around. The soft look on her face suddenly filled with alarm.

"I thought you were Dally," she squeaked.

"No," he confirmed. "Thank God for small favors."

She didn't quite know how to respond to that and only gave him a confused, almost horrified, look. Tim looked down at her, amused. Her cheeks were bright red and he wondered how much of that had to do with thinking he was Dallas.

"How come you ain't inside?" she asked, her hand motioning toward the door and causing her wobble on uncertain feet. She closed her eyes for a couple of seconds to steady herself and continued, "The party's for you. Ain't it?"

Tim shrugged and sucked the last drag out of his cigarette. Flicking it away, he said, "A few of us got out this week. There would've been a party anyway. A few of my boys are getting out Monday, and there'll probably be one then too. Just an excuse to have a party."

"Oh," she said quietly.

He watched the hairs on her arms stand up. Motioning toward her arms, he said, "You forgot your coat, kid."

"I'm hot," she said, despite her goosebumps. Placing her palms on either fiery cheek she consequently wobbled toward the cement steps with the sudden movement. Tim reached out and grabbed her arms, pulling her away from the steps and back in the middle of the porch.

"You ever been drunk before?" he asked, holding her in place.

She shook her head and looked up at him, her eyes searching his face. "Not like this," she admitted. "I thought I had, but it wasn't like this. Is this what it's like?"

Tim couldn't help but laugh a little at that. "Yeah. How many shots did you do?"

Her eyebrows furrowed and she stared blankly ahead, trying to remember just how many she tipped back. She shook her head and if he hadn't been holding her, she would have fallen over.

"I'm never doing this again," she mumbled to herself, closing her eyes like she was willing the dizziness away.

"Yeah?" he said. "Why'd you do it in the first place?"

"'Cause no one thought I could," she said hotly.

She opened her eyes again and looked up at him. The neon sign hanging in the window cast a harsh red glow over her face, hitting the scar on her cheek and making it appear darker and deeper than it was. Tim looked at it thoughtfully.

"And what? You have a lot to prove? he asked.

"Doesn't everybody around here?" she asked. "I don't need everyone thinkin' I'm just the poor kid who got jumped."

"Shouldn't have gotten jumped then," he said crudely.

"Wasn't like I asked for it," she snapped, more intensity behind her voice than her posture let on.

"You know who did it, don't you?" he asked, loosening his grip but still holding her in place.

She held his gaze and very convincingly lied through her teeth. "No."

"Dally seems to think you do," he told her. "And I'm guessin' that soc he got into it with was the guy who knocked the shit out of you."

"Yeah, well, Dally talks a lot of shit," she said with a grimace.

"That bastard wouldn't know how to shut his mouth if he were gagged," Tim remarked, watching her eyes narrow and darken suddenly. The little broad was almost cute when she got angry.

"He's real tuff, though," she argued, trying to struggle out of his grasp. "He'd whoop you."

"That so?" Tim asked, an amused smile on his face. From the corner of his eye he could see Dally looking around the room from where he sat on his barstool.

"You think it would shut him up if I let him whoop me?" he asked. "I'm tired of him running his mouth tonight."

"Then leave," she suggested coolly.

"Maybe I don't want to," he said.

Sliding his hand softly up her arm, he reached her cheek and cupped it in his palm, his thumb caressing the scar on her cheek. Angrily, she grabbed his hand with hers and pulled it away.

"Don't touch it," she demanded.

"It ain't that bad, kid," he told her, grabbing her arm and pulling her back toward him. "I told you it'd look pretty tough on you."

She was struggling against him to no avail and said, "Why does everybody keep saying that? It's bad enough that it makes everyone look at me funny. I hate it."

Tim studied her and her scar for a moment before he realized he kind of felt bad for her. He tried to reach for her face again, but she grabbed his hand before he made it past her shoulder.

"Stop it. I'm goin' back in," she said, trying to force his hand off of her arm. "Let go."

"Did you really jump into that fight that got Dally jailed?" he asked, still holding firm.

"Yeah. So?" she huffed.

"You're pretty small," he pointed out.

"Dally was getting his ass kicked. What was I supposed to do?"

"That so?" he asked. "That took balls, kid."

"Most everyone else thinks it was dumb," she said.

"That why you're in there drinking yourself stupid?" he asked, trying to hold back the grin on his face. She was getting pissed at him.

"So what if I'm drinking tonight? It's Buck's. I don't see you giving everybody else a hard time. What do you care if I'm drinking?"

Tim shrugged. "I don't care what you do. I was just wondering 'cause you don't seem like the kind to drink like that."

"You hardly know me," she said, still trying to get her arm out of his grasp.

"You're gonna regret it."

"Well, it ain't any of your business, is it?" she asked.

He glanced casually back into the bar and noticed, much to his amusement, Dally was making his way through the crowd, heading to the door. He looked down at Ellie. "You gonna do anything else you regret tonight?"

She furrowed her brows. "Like what?"

He didn't answer her. Instead, he leaned his face close to hers and pressed his lips against hers. She bulked against him, but after a few seconds she gave up the fight. She didn't kiss him back, but she certainly wasn't pulling away. Tim would have been grinning had his lips not been busy doing more important things. What better way to get that fight he was looking for than to make a move on Dally's girl?

He heard the doorknob twist with a squeak and the hinges start to pull open. She jerked back at the sound and he slid his hand down her arm and around her back, keeping her close. Tim was hard on for giving the impression that the two of them had been nice and cozy in the cool night air.

He was willing to give her something she'd regret for the opportunity to kick Dally's ass. Dallas would be sure to oblige when he saw Tim putting the moves on his girl.

"What the fuck?"

Tim pulled away from her, a smile on his face as he turned to face Dally. Before he or Ellie could utter a word, Dally was already swinging punches.

_And I saddle up my horse  
__And I ride into the city_

Ellie had given up her shouting to get the boys to stop because they weren't listening and the effort was making her head hurt. She wasn't about to jump into the middle of this fight, regardless of what happened. She couldn't take her hand off the railing for fear she would roll right off the tiny porch and into the middle of the fight anyway. She kept her hand firmly in place.

A group of greasers piled out of Buck's at the sound of fists hitting flesh and stood around in a crooked circle as the two boys rolled through the gravel.

"What's this all about?"

Ellie turned to find Two-Bit standing beside her, looking anxiously at the fight. With as much as he had to drink, she figured he was eager to get in on the action too.

She shrugged, unwilling to move her head for fear it would start the world on a sickening spin again. "I dunno. They're just fighting."

Two-Bit made his way down the steps as quickly as he could and was shoving others out of the way as he entered the circle of greasers when a loud voice boomed directly beside Ellie, causing her to jump and Tim and Dally to cease in their warfare.

"You two boneheads knock it off," Buck demanded from the porch. "You idiots both just got out of jail for fightin' and you're goin' to find yourselves right back there if you keep it up."

Tim and Dally slowly picked themselves off the ground as Buck turned back to the door. "Last fuckin' thing I need is the cops called with all these underage kids," he muttered under his breath as he brushed past Ellie.

Any other scuffle, and the crowd would have stuck around to egg on another fight. However, a fight involving Dallas and Tim would end as quickly as it began. Uninterested in watching the two boys make nice, the crowd soon dispersed.

Two-Bit was slowly, and with a good deal of difficulty, making his way up the steps and back in the bar as Dally came lumbering up to the porch.

Tim was rubbing his jaw from the gravel parking lot, but Ellie could see the grin behind his hand. "Is that how he could whoop me, kid?" he asked Ellie.

Dally had his hand on his back pocket, readying his switchblade when Ellie transferred her weight from the railing to grab onto his arm. All she wanted was to get back inside and have a seat. Standing wasn't agreeing with her. Dally seemed to notice how unsteady she seemed because he left the blade right where it was.

"You ever touch my girl again, Shepard," he warned over his shoulder, "and you ain't gonna have no fingers left."

"Whatever you say, pal," Tim replied.

Dally ignored him and looped his arm around Ellie's shoulders and leaned close to her ear as he led her back inside. "What the fuck is Tim Shepard doing kissing you?"

She shrugged his arm off her shoulders as she clutched his shirt in her hands. "Can we just sit down? I feel sick."

_I make a lot of noise  
_'_Cause the girls, they're so pretty_

The party was slowly dying down after the fight outside, and Ellie wondered if that usually happened. Maybe all it took was a fight to get the crowds quieted down and once that was over, they went in search of another fight. Tim seemed to have gotten his urge for a brawl out of his system, because he kept his distance from Dally and went back to the table he had occupied earlier in the evening. That was fine with Ellie. She took a content sip of her Coke.

Dally sat beside her, a hand on his ribs and an arm around her shoulders. Tim must have knocked him a good one when he wasn't expecting it, and it served him right. If Dally hadn't convinced her to drink like a fish, she never would have been alone with Tim. She took another sip of her drink. She wanted to forget everything about that evening.

She focused her attention to the other side of the room, where Two-Bit and Kathy were getting mighty comfortable at one of the tables. His hands were tangled in her blonde hair, and she looked to be just a few open buttons away from needing a room.

At least Two-Bit and Dally were just trying to get her to have a little bit of fun. Then Tim had to walk over and ruin it all, by making her out to be some sort of floozy, just looking to get trashed.

"Can't a girl get a drink around here, Buck?"

Ellie tore her attention away from Two-Bit and Kathy to find another blonde sitting on the other side of Dally. In the past two days, Ellie had been around Sylvia far more than she wanted to be.

She pointedly ignored Ellie and batted her pretty green eyes at Dallas. "Hi, Dal," she cooed softly.

Dally just nodded in her direction without actually looking at her.

"Oh, hi there," Sylvia said with a smile as if she had just noticed Ellie's presence. Ellie just stared back at her, wishing looks could kill.

"Where's Will?" Dally asked flatly.

Sylvia shrugged, a pout forming on those perfectly painted red lips. "Things just ain't working for us," she said.

Sylvia began talking a mile a minute, but Ellie blocked her voice out of her head. She thought she could handle being in such close quarters with the girl, but Sylvia was quickly wearing out her welcome as far as Ellie was concerned. Animosity began brewing in the pit of her stomach when Sylvia's hand found its way to Dally's forearm. Her breathing completely halted a moment later when Sylvia casually moved her hand to Dally's knee. The second her hand began heading north, Ellie plunked her bottle of pop onto the bar.

"If you'll excuse us, Sylvia," Ellie said, stepping down from her stool and giving Dally's arm a tug.

"Where're we goin'?" Dally asked as Ellie led him away from the bar.

She caught sight of Tim in the corner table. He seemed to notice where they were heading and tipped his beer in their direction, a knowing smirk on his face.

Ellie stopped at the foot of the stairs and turned back to Dally. "Where do you think we're going?"

He narrowed his eyes at her before glancing up the stairs. "You feelin' okay?"

Ellie looked back at their seats at the bar, where Sylvia still sat, a skeptical look on her face. "Never felt better," she said. That seemed to be all he needed to hear.

Her heart was pounding unusually loud in her head as they reached his dark room, and it became clear to her exactly what she was about to do.

_And the girls say,  
__Save a horse,  
Ride a cowboy.__  
_

* * *

A/N: Biggest mistake of Ellie's life, or was it bound to happen sometimes? (It is Dally, after all...)


	19. Stupid

**Disclaimer: We'd like to thank Ms. Hinton for her wonderful boys and Sarah McLachlan for her wonderful song,_ "_Stupid."**

* * *

_Night lift up the shades,  
__Let in the brilliant light of morning.  
__But steady there now,  
__For I am weak and starving for mercy._

Someone was pounding unmercifully on the door. Each bang on the wood exploded in her head and for a moment she wondered if it was possible to die of a simple headache.

The bed creaked slightly, and Ellie squinted as Dally sat up, rubbing his eyes tiredly before pulling his underwear and jeans back on. She felt her stomach flip and thought she was going to be sick as the night came swirling back into her memory. Closing her eyes, she tugged the blankets higher and buried her face in the pillow.

She had known what she was doing the night before, she told herself. Even if she hadn't been drinking, and even if she hadn't thought she had something to prove in front of Sylvia or any of the others, Ellie knew exactly what she was doing. And boy did she do it.

She pushed her face deeper into the pillow. Thinking about it all made her head hurt even worse.

The door creaked over Dally's grumbling as he pulled it open.

"Hey, Dal."

There was a low whistle, and Ellie groaned at the sound of Two-Bit's laughter.

"Well, whaddya know? I guess I wasn't really seein' things last night, was I?"

"Shut up," she grumbled, her voice muffled by the pillow. She pulled the blankets tighter around herself, suddenly aware that she was wearing nothing beneath them.

She could feel her face burning beneath the pillow and blankets. Two-Bit was the last person in the entire world she wanted to know about her night at Buck's. Now everyone would know.

"Buck's kickin' everyone out and I was just wonderin' if you two lovebirds needed a lift back home 'fore I left without you," Two-Bit explained, his voice getting louder as he walked into the room and plopped down on the bed beside her, causing the mattress to bounce. It must not have made enough movement the first time because he bounced on it again. The miniature earthquake brought Ellie's head to the brink of explosion.

"Stop it," she demanded, with as much emphasis as she could get behind her words. It clearly wasn't enough for Two-Bit because he repeated the process. "Leave me alone!"

"You want me to go?" Two-Bit asked, his voice filled with faux hurt.

"You sure you want to send our only ride packing?" Dally asked.

"Why can't you take Buck's car?" she asked, peeking half her face out from the pillow. Two-Bit grinned and bounced the bed again.

"Because it ain't mine," he said.

"Never stopped you before," she replied tiredly.

"Well, other than gettin' you back home, I don't have anywhere I need to be today, and Buck said he needed his car."

Ellie could tell without even looking that Dally was enjoying every minute of the morning so far.

"So, you two kids want a ride home?" Two-Bit asked again.

Ellie buried her face back into the pillow and Dally answered for her. "Yeah, we'll be down in a few minutes."

"Y'all take your time," Two-Bit replied suggestively as he headed for the door. "I'll let Kathy know. She'll understand."

Ellie frowned into the pillow. She was almost positive Two-Bit was winking at Dallas and who was grinning about the whole thing.

"Get up, Ellie," Dally said, tugging the pillow out from under her head. He opened the curtains, letting in as much sunlight as he could. He seemed to be enjoying the morning too much for her liking.

"Shut those curtains, Dallas Winston," she whined, curling herself into a tight ball and trying to bury her face into the mattress, but it was no use. The threadbare blankets weren't much help either.

Squinting, she finally looked up at Dally. He stood next to the bed, grinning down at her. "Mornin'," he drawled. Her cheeks turned a fiery red. Dallas was going to embarrass the hell out of her. She should have known better.

"If you don't hurry up and get dressed, we'll be walkin' our asses back," he said, pulling on a t-shirt.

Ellie sat up, clutching the blankets to her chest as though her life depended on it. She stared hard at her clothes lying bundled up on the floor. Still squinting, she looked back at Dally. "Well then, get out and let me get dressed."

He looked back at her incredulously, tapping a cigarette on the dresser. "'Get out'?" he repeated. "You're kicking me out of my room just 'cause you're a little modest all of a sudden?" He lit a match on his Christopher medal and grinned at her. "Nothin' I ain't already seen, now is it?"

"You're an asshole, you know that?"

He shrugged as she climbed out of bed slowly, careful not to jar her aching head too much or to lose grip on the blankets. "I was drunk- thanks to you- and you took advantage."

"Bullshit I took advantage." He kicked a shoe in her direction. "From what I can remember, it was your idea. Besides, I asked and you said you was sure."

She grabbed her clothes and tossed them on the bed.

"Hey." Dally caught her arms before she sat down and pulled her closer to him. "You regret it?" he asked, his tone not as cool as it usually was. She watched his icy eyes stared back into her warmer ones, searching for the lie he thought she'd tell.

She shrugged. "I dunno yet." Dally leaned closer to kiss her, but she leaned back. "But I do know that you're gonna regret it if anybody like Steve finds out."

Dally smiled at her. "I guess I'll have to have a little talk with Two-Bit, huh?"

He grabbed his jacket from the floor where it had been thrown carelessly the night before. Stepping out into the hallway, he gave her a wink before he shut the door.

Finally alone, Ellie sat on the edge of the bed. The mattress gave some with her weight and Ellie hoped that slight buckle didn't mirror her rash decision. Reaching back to sort through her meager pile of clothes, Ellie hoped like hell she wasn't like the other girls. He'd looked deep into her eyes, though, deeper than he had before. There was a twinge of desperation in his tone, or so she thought.

Running a shaky hand through her tangled mess of a mane, Ellie tried to convince herself that things were different. She convinced herself that she wasn't like most of the girls she saw the night before. She tried to convince herself that Dally wasn't like a lot of those guys, despite everything she already knew.

"Stop it," she said to herself. "You're worried about nothing."

But still, she did something she had never done and had hardly thought it through. Did she regret it?

_Sleep has left me alone to carry the weight  
__Of unraveling where we went wrong._

Standing at the base of the stairs, Ellie looked around for Dally. Buck's typically dark bar seemed brighter than she remembered seeing it, and she wondered vaguely if the guys had cleared out some new windows just to piss her off some more. Rubbing her eyes, she wished desperately for a pair of sunglasses.

"It's a shame Dal walked outside when he did last night," drawled a voice from behind her. Ellie turned to see Tim sitting at one of the tables, still cluttered with beer bottles. "We coulda had some fun."

Ellie glanced around the room again. Her eyes scanned the few guys sitting around, most likely the same ones that had spent the night in one of Buck's rooms. She realized they were all boys, and she wondered where the girls were that the boys had spent the night with. Dally and Two-Bit were still nowhere to be seen.

"Where's Dally?" she asked, her stomach churning and her hands turning clammy.

"Why? You wanna have some more fun?"

She didn't reply and Tim stood up from the table. She looked up at him helplessly, desperate to know where Dally was. She knew Two-Bit wasn't going to leave her stranded, but suddenly she wasn't so sure about Dallas.

"You remember last night, don't you?" Tim asked, amused.

Ellie looked outside, but she couldn't see Dally from where she stood. "Just leave me alone, Tim."

She was trying to hold her own, but her request sounded more like a plea and she knew it. She was feeling sicker by the second, and she wasn't in any mood to let Tim Shepard give her a hard time when she had more important things to do like finding Dally and getting the hell out of there.

He smirked at her. "With as much as you drank, I figured you woulda forgotten all about us last night. I guess I made a pretty big impression, huh?"

Her lips were dry and it felt like a cold sweat was breaking out on her brow. The smell of liquor that still lingered around the room, as well as on her own clothes, was enough to make her stomach turn violently. She placed a hand firmly over her mouth as she rushed past him to the door.

As she threw the door open, Ellie barreled straight into Dally. "What the hell?" he asked, grabbing her arms to keep her from falling backwards.

She quickly wrenched her arm out of his grasp. Leaning over the railing, Ellie retched what felt like her entire stomach onto Buck's already sparse grass.

"Shit, Ellie," Dally mumbled, annoyed.

"That's some girl you've got there, Winston," Tim commented from the doorway.

Her stomach flipped once more and she leaned over the railing again.

Dally pulled her hair back roughly. "She must of caught sight of your ugly mug, Shepard. That'd make anybody lose their lunch."

"She didn't seem to think so last night," Tim replied, letting the door slam loudly as he went back inside.

Ellie spit, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. He gave her hair another rough tug. "Are you finished yet?"

She pulled her head back, knocking his hand away. "Go to hell, Dallas," she said. It was his fault she was throwing up all over Buck's property.

"Why are you mad at me?" he asked. "Shepard's the one giving you a hard time."

"I'm not mad," she said. She was quiet for a moment, trying to drink in the cool fresh air and clear her head.

"Well, you sure ain't happy," he replied.

"Can we go?" she asked. "I just wanna go home."

"Yeah," he said, letting her lead the way to Two-Bit's car.

_Love has made me a fool,  
__It set me on fire and watched as I floundered._

Two-Bit pulled up in front of Ellie's house. Slamming on the brakes, he came to a sudden stop. If Dally didn't have his arm around Ellie's waist, she would have been sitting on the floor of Two-Bit's car. It was merely a repeat of the abrupt stop Two-Bit came to in front of Kathy's house minutes earlier. Dally and Ellie were even less amused this time.

Putting the car in park, Two-Bit turned around in his seat and said to Ellie, "Now let me make sure I have this right. You don't want me to tell Steve about how much fun you two had last night?"

She sighed heavily and lifted her head from Dally's shoulder.

"Shut up, Two-Bit," she mumbled. "He said he didn't want to know anything so you don't need to open your mouth about last night."

Two-Bit scratched his chin, thinking that through. Dally could feel Ellie itching to get out of the car and back to bed. He kept his hand firmly around her waist.

"So you're saying I shouldn't tell Ponyboy either?"

"God, Two-Bit," she groaned. "It's not your business to say anything, so don't even think about telling anyone."

"So I can't tell Pony, who'll tell Soda who'll tell Steve? Is that what you're saying?" he grinned broadly at the scowl on her face and Dally couldn't help but laugh at it all. "What about Darry or Johnny? Can I tell them?"

She rolled her eyes and slid across the seat and pushed the door open. Dally didn't move until she turned, her feet already resting on the pavement, and looked at him. He couldn't ignore a face like that.

"Don't go nowhere," he said to Two-Bit as he got out of the car and followed her toward the sidewalk.

He stopped short in front of her. She looked sick, her face was pale and her eyes had that far away, feverish look in them. To top it all off, he thought she looked scared or maybe just nervous.

"How's the hangover treatin' you?" he asked because he couldn't just ask her how she was feeling.

"Don't expect me to have another one any time soon," she said, cautiously closing the distance between them.

"You're going to let one bad night ruin it for you?" he asked, wrapping his arms around her waist.

She leaned back so he was supporting her weight, and he held her tighter.

"Who said it was bad?" she asked.

He shrugged and said, "Like I said, you sure ain't happy. Plus, you got me and Two-Bit swearing to secrecy about you and me sleepin' together last night. You regret it, don't you?"

He let go of her and watched her stumble backward and catch her balance. He could have kicked himself for saying that to her face. What the hell did he care if she regretted it? She was just another broad.

"Dal," she said, her voice soft, but far from reassuring, "I didn't say I regretted anything."

"But you never said you didn't," he told her matter-of-factly.She looked away from him and down at her small hands. _And you never will, _he thought to himself.

Ellie took his hand in both of hers and placed her index finger on his ring. It was the ring he had rolled a drunk for a while back. It was the one he always gave Sylvia when they were on-again, and it was the same one she always threw at his head when they were off-again.

"If I'm your girl, I want your ring," she said bluntly.

It caught him off guard and he pulled his hand away from her. He didn't know why he was hesitating the way he was, but he could see his reaction reflecting in Ellie's falling expression. Still, he shook his head. "You don't want this stupid ring, El. It don't mean nothin'."

"Oh." That was all she said.

"Christ," he said under his breath. He needed a cigarette or to go back and undo everything he started with her. She wasn't as high maintenance as Sylvia, but she sure wasn't cheap either. He just didn't know how to pay her kind of dues.

Reaching out, he tipped her chin so she was looking up at him and he knew he didn't really want to undo anything. What he needed was for her to lighten up. She wasn't stupid and he knew what she needed to be sure of. He couldn't do it with Two-Bit watching, but he would later.

"Hey," he said, kissing her lightly on the forehead, "I'll see you later, Dollface."

This time, she didn't say anything at all.

Climbing into the car, Two-Bit let out a low whistle that was almost lost on the sound of the engine roaring back to life.

"Hindsight?" Two-Bit said simply, tearing away from the curb.

Dally watched Ellie in the side view mirror until he couldn't see her anymore. Then he punched Two-Bit in the shoulder.

"Shit, Dal. At least wait 'til I won't drive us off the road," Two-Bit said, no laugh in his voice. "You do know that if Steve finds out he's going to do you in. El's like his little sister."

Dally scratched a match across his Christopher medal and lit a cigarette.

"Yeah, I know. Steve needs to get a grip and back the fuck off," he said with a grimace.

"Can you blame him? He might take this whole big brother thing a little more seriously than the rest of us, but don't hurt her, Dal. There's quite a few big brothers you'll have to deal with if you do," Two-Bit said. "Don't treat her like them other broads."

"I know," Dally hissed. He took a deep drag of his cigarette and stared out at the passing scenery.

It was quiet between them for a few seconds before Two-Bit blurted, "I still can't believe it was you."

Dally turned the glare he had focused on his ring to Two-Bit.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"I just meant that I always thought it'd be her and Pony. Or Curly."

"What the hell are you talking about?" he asked, looking at Two-Bit like he had horns growing out of his forehead. "Curly fucking Shepard?"

"Well, he's persistent. She might have gone out with him eventually."

"Yeah, when hell freezes over," Dally said. _She's my girl,_ he thought to himself, twisting his ring around his finger again.

_Unable to speak, except to cry out  
__And wait for your answer.  
__It's all I can do to hang on._

Ellie pushed the door open and stood in the doorway for a few seconds, looking around for any signs of her parents and not finding any. Shutting the door softly, she rounded the corner and headed for the bathroom, not paying attention. She ran right into her mother.

"God, you scared me," Ellie gasped, holding a hand over her heart. "I didn't think anyone was home."

"Well, you thought wrong, Darlin'," Abby said. She looked Ellie up and down slowly and asked, "You're just now coming in?"

Ellie's widened slightly, a sick epiphany working into her frame of mind.

"Yeah. I stayed over at Pony's," she defended quickly.

"Doing what?" she asked.

Ellie swallowed a gulp and said, "Nothing. I just stayed over."

"You feelin' okay? You're awfully pale," Abby said, resting the back of her hand on her daughter's forehead.

She grabbed her hand and fumbled away from her mother's touch.

"I'm fine," Ellie said.

Abby leaned against the wall and smiled at her daughter.

"What were you up to last night? she asked. "'Cause I can still smell it on your breath."

Ellie just stared at her, not apologetically, yet not quite embarrassed either. Abby was doing it again. Relishing in the fact that Ellie screwed up and now she could hold it over her for the rest of her life. Ellie stared back at her for a few seconds, a frown on her face and the back of her eyes stinging with tears she'd never let her mother see. She seemed to always be waiting for her to do something stupid, ready to rub it back in her face and laugh at her.

"I told you I stayed over at Pony's," Ellie repeated, moving toward the bathroom and gripping the doorknob so tightly her knuckles were white. She looked her mother in the eye and suddenly saw herself in her eyes. A young teenager tangled up between the sheets with a boy that had no intention of keeping her around. Her stomach flipped again.

"You better hope Jimmy doesn't find out, Darlin'," she said, tucking loose strands of hair behind her ear. "You're going to get it if he does."

"Is he here?" she asked, quietly.

"He's at work," she told her. "There's aspirin in the medicine cabinet. Take a couple and don't do it again."

"Okay," Ellie mumbled, shutting the door and ending the conversation.

Turning the water on, Ellie let it run until the room was filled with steam. Swallowing four aspirin, she took a long shower and tried to not think about anything. That was just about impossible. Thoughts were swirling in and out of her mind faster and faster as the aspirin started to dull the pain in her head.

Sitting down, she hugged her knees to her chest and felt the water run in little streams down her arms, legs and back. Burying her face in her knees she prayed that Dally wasn't like her father or like most of the boys on that side of town, for that matter. That she was only good for one thing in his eyes.

She tethered the thought of being knocked up and abandoned, like her mother had been, as far from her frame of mind as best she could and focused solely on Dallas and on everything Steve had said. _Just tell me you ain't sleeping with him. _She could hear that plea clear as day. As clear as she could hear Dally bragging about Sylvia or Joanne or Lisa or the handful of other names she'd heard in passing.

She was scared, but it hadn't hit her until he wouldn't give her his ring and until she looked into her mother's eyes. Ellie didn't want to be her. She didn't want to be that bitter, angry woman who took it out on the kid that came out of that mistake she made.

Yes, she was scared she'd get her heartbroken and be left alone to pick up the pieces. Scared that Steve was right about Dallas and scared that Leery and everyone else was right. Like mother, like daughter.

_How stupid could I be?  
__A simpleton could see  
__That you're no good for me._

Ellie drug the mop across the floor, halfheartedly. The dingy floor of Joe's Grocery never cleaned up any better than that, and Ellie wasn't in the mood to try any harder. Her hangover held on for the better part of Sunday, and Ellie was tempted to skip school on Monday until she heard Jimmy cursing in the living room about whatever was pissing him off at the moment.

By the time she made it to school with the guys Monday morning, she wondered if she made the right choice. It seemed like every glance coming her way was going beyond the scar on her face and seeing right through her and back to the party at Buck's. Everything Pony and Steve said felt like it was hedging around her actions that weekend.

She knew she was only being paranoid and making it all a bigger deal than it should have been, but she couldn't help it. Spending all day Sunday burrowed under her blankets, trying to keep from being sick again, had only led her to overanalyze her actions from the night before. She had acted without thinking, and now she was thinking too much.

She sighed as she dipped the mop back in the bucket. She just couldn't win.

"You're gonna mop that tile clean off the floor, honey."

Ellie glanced over her shoulder at Bobbie, the evening cashier. She was older, rough in speech and manner but a nice woman if you knew how to take her.

Bobbie rested her hand on the light switch. "You gonna mop in the dark or are you gonna go home?"

"I guess I'll go home," Ellie replied. Soda had promised to pick her up at the end of her shift. She hoped he would just take her straight home; she wasn't in the mood to hang out with the guys.

Bobbie followed her to the back of the store, where Ellie placed the mop bucket in the storage closet before grabbing her jacket.

"You seem awful depressed over something," Bobbie observed, tugging on her coat.

Ellie shrugged as they walked toward the back door of the store. She hesitated at the door. "Bobbie, have you ever done something that you probably shouldn't have?"

The older woman chuckled, her laugh dry and brittle after decades of smoking. "Haven't we all?"

"I just don't know how to undo it."

"Honey, you gotta stop living in the past," she replied, placing a cigarette between her lips. "You're gonna worry yourself sick if you keep trying to find a way to undo something that's done and over with. You got a good head on your shoulders, and chances are whatever you did wasn't that bad. Do you need a ride home?"

Ellie shook her head as they walked outside into the chilly late autumn air.

"What I did was stupid," she started to explain, but Bobbie cut her off.

"Most things we regret are pretty stupid. They seem worse if you spend so much time thinkin' and worryin' about them," she replied. She paused and gestured over Ellie's shoulder.

Ellie heard a long, low whistle behind her and turned to see Dally walking towards them.

Bobbie grinned as she stopped by her car. "But was it really all that stupid?"

Ellie gave her a small smile in return. She didn't know how, but the woman always seemed to know where she was coming from. She gave Bobbie a small wave and met Dally halfway across the parking lot.

_You come around in your time,  
__Speaking of fabulous places,  
__Create an oasis that dries up as soon as you're gone._

"You gonna give me the silent treatment for the rest of my life?" Dally asked, cigarette smoke and his warm breath precipitating in the chilly air.

"I'm not giving you the silent treatment."

"Well, that's the first thing you've said to me in almost two days," he replied.

She looked up at him as they continued walking down Front Street. "How can I say anything to you if you keep avoiding me?"

Ellie slowed to a near halt when Dallas laughed. It wasn't a chuckle or anything like that. It was a real, genuine laugh. "And what's so funny about that?" she demanded.

He turned back, walking a couple paces until he was right in front of her. "_I_ was avoiding _you_? You got that all wrong, kid. You're the one that's been avoiding me."

She crossed her arms. "I have not."

"Then why haven't you been around?"

Ellie shrugged. "I had school and then I had to work."

"What about yesterday? You coulda come over to Darry's. You coulda come with Two-Bit and Steve to the drugstore today during lunch."

She felt herself squirm and pulled her arms tighter around her torso. "That don't mean I was avoiding you," she stated, but she didn't even believe herself.

"What else do you call it?"

She was quiet as she thought about it. She really had thought he was avoiding her, but the only reason he hadn't been around was because she had spent the day before wrapped up in a blanket on her bed. She had even made a lame excuse to study in the library during lunch today. Pony had been nice enough to join her, but she had wanted to be alone. It suddenly dawned on her that Dally was right. She had been avoiding everybody. But he gave her every reason to be. She felt so stupid.

Ellie said nothing and took a step to walk around Dally. He moved in front of her.

"You don't get off the hook that easy," he said.

"Fine," she finally conceded. "Maybe I was wrong."

"Maybe?" he asked, cocking an eyebrow skeptically.

Now he was just trying to piss her off and she was sick of it. "Fine," she huffed. "I _was_ wrong."

"That's better."

She tried to walk around him again, but he blocked her path once more. He took her hand and led her back against an empty building. She sat on the low brick windowsill and refused to look at him.

"Listen, Ellie," he said, fidgeting with the ring on his hand, "since we're datin' and all, I wanna give you somethin'."

"I thought you said I didn't want your ring," she said, watching his hands and trying not to sound as sad as she felt.

"Hey," he said, tipping her face upwards. "Do you really want something like a stupid ring that ain't even mine?"

Ellie felt like crying. He never seemed to think twice when he passed the damn thing off to Sylvia or any of his other girlfriends. She didn't know why this was so different.

"Fine," she said, trying to remain calm, "if you don't want to give me anything to prove we're dating, then keep your damn ring."

She stood up and stalked down the street, only stopping when Dally jogged up beside her and grabbed her arm. He gave her a good tug to turn her to face him.

"You're so goddamn touchy," he said. "Would you just listen to me for a minute before you jump down my throat about everything?"

Ellie sighed in defeat and obliged.

"Christ," he muttered before he pulled his Christopher medal over his head. "I wasn't going to give you my ring, I was going to give you this." He thrust it into her hand angrily.

"Your medal?" she asked, confused.

"Yeah," he muttered.

"Why this? Why not your ring?"

"If you don't want the fucking thing, give it back," he said.

She ran her thumb over the silver medal and said, "I didn't say I didn't want it. I asked why you're giving me this."

"Did you really want some ring that belonged to some drunk and that had been hanging around Sylvia's neck?" he asked.

"Well, no, I guess not," she agreed, slipping the chain over her head. She pulled her hair out from under it and looked at the medal again. "Why did you always give her your ring?"

"I don't give a shit if I lose that ring. It ain't even mine," he told her, tucking her hair behind her ear and giving her a wink.

Ellie wanted to run to the Dingo or Buck's or wherever Sylvia was hanging out and rub her triumph in her face. Instead, she just bit her lip to keep from grinning and looked up at him, wanting to kiss him.

"I won't lose this," she said quietly, her hand tight around the patron saint.

"You better not," Dally said, placing a cigarette between his lips. He pulled a match out of his pocket and took the medal into his hand. "I'd be pissed, 'cause I wouldn't be able to light my cigarettes anymore."

Ellie saw the smirk in his eyes and leaned up and kissed him sweetly on the cheek.

"Thanks, Dally."

"Sure thing, kid," he said.

_A simpleton could see,  
__That you're no good for me,  
__But you're the only one I see._


	20. Playing with the Boys

Disclaimer: We only wished we owned the boys. They belong to SE Hinton. The song belongs to Kenny Loggins.

_

* * *

_

_It's time to play  
Bodies working overtime  
Your money don't matter,  
Time keeps ticking._

"Hey, do you see that girl with the curly hair?" Two-Bit asked, leaning down close to Ellie's ear.

"Which one? There's a bunch of girls with curly hair," she pointed out, scanning the backs of various girls' heads.

"The one in the cheerleader uniform," he said, pointing inconspicuously from behind his notebook.

"That's Sharon. It's Richard Vinson's sister," she said slowly.

He grinned down at her. "That's Little Sister. It's code for the plan I'm hatching to get at Big Brother for thinking he can make up a nickname for you."

"What plan?" she asked, fiddling with the silver medal hanging around her neck. "You ain't gonna hurt her or anything. Are you?"

Two-Bit cocked an eyebrow and gave her an incredulous look. He couldn't believe she even thought that. "Now why would I go and hurt her? I don't hurt girls, you know that, El. I may break their hearts but that ain't even on purpose." She laughed and he grinned again. "Just watch this."

He backed her up against a wall before he dove into the crowd of students, following Little Sister as she made her way to class. She had a head full of perfectly curled ringlets that hung loose around her shoulders. As he was just a few feet behind her, he looked back and nodded at Ellie who wore a helpless smile on her face. Reaching out, he grabbed one of those perfectly placed ringlets and gave it a gentle tug. It was just enough to get her attention.

Little Sister turned around and the lighthearted smile on her face evaporated when she got a look at who was behind her. She stared, her mouth agape in surprise for a few seconds. Two-Bit cracked a grin and said, "_Boing_."

Her little nose wrinkled up, confused, and he reached for another ringlet. She cowered back and her friends pulled her down the hall. Satisfied, he walked back over to Ellie. Her arms were crossed and she had a confused look on her face.

"That's it?" she scoffed with a smile on her face. "You _boing_-ed her curls?"

Two-Bit shook his head. "Stuff like that is only the beginning. I _boing_ her curls, whistle at her, maybe some harmless cat calls every now and then, but it's all working up to something big."

"All to get at Big Brother for making fun of me?" she asked.

"Yes, ma'am," he said. "It'll eat him alive to see me makin' moves on her."

"So what's your big plan then?" she asked.

"It all depends on the seniors," he replied.

"Why the seniors?" she asked.

"They give the school a gift every year at some big assembly on their last day of school," he told her, forgetting she was only a freshman.

"Uh huh, and that gift would be?"

He shrugged and winked at her. "I don't know yet, but it won't really matter. It'll all work out no matter what it is. But, if you do find out, let me know."

She nodded and started backing away. "I'll see what I can do."

"Just remember to be stealth, El. It's gotta be a surprise," he said.

She gave him the thumbs up and with a smile on her face turned around and headed for her next class. He watched her for a couple of seconds, wanting to make sure she at least made it to the end of the hall without any trouble, but trouble was heading straight for her. From where he stood, Two-Bit could see that Michael Holden had his sights set on giving Ellie a hard time.

Heading her way, Two-Bit followed her path, watching over everyone's head as Holden walked right into her, knocking her shoulder and stopping her in her tracks. He knew he should hurry up and get to her, but it was her reaction to it that stopped him. She stood there, a hand on her hip and staring right up at him as he glared down at her. There was something defiant in her stance.

"Move," he heard her demand calmly over the din of the thinning crowds.

Michael didn't move and when Ellie did, he blocked her way again. Two-Bit was ready to move in, but he still waited to see what she would do. She'd been playing with boys since she was a little kid and she could play these keep away games as well as the next guy.

She faked to the right and Michael took the bait. Ellie curtailed it to the left, making a wide step and tripping him as he tried to move back. He dropped his notebooks as he tried to keep his balance by grabbing onto the wall. Two-Bit caught the look of triumph on her face as she laughed quietly while he stumbled.

He wondered where she got the guts to do that and if it had something to do with Dally's medal hanging around her neck. Soda and Steve seemed pretty surprised the first time they saw it, just like he was. In the time they had known Dally, they hadn't seen that medal leave his neck. Steve seemed to think it was just something Dally was doing for show, but Two-Bit didn't care. If it was going to get Ellie back to her normal self, he didn't really care what Dally's intentions were. It certainly didn't matter at the moment, if it was giving Ellie enough confidence to stand up to a guy she had every reason in the world to be afraid of.

Two-Bit leaned back against the wall and watched her disappear around a corner and laughed to himself as Michael cursed under his breath as he crouched down to gather his papers.

"That's my girl," Two-Bit said proudly under his breath.

Taking a long stride in the wrong direction, Two-Bit walked toward Michael who was still gathering his papers. Stomping a shoe down on a sheet of notebook paper filled with equations, Two-Bit reached down and ripped it from underneath his shoe.

"I think you dropped this," he said, offering the ripped half of trigonometry homework to Michael.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, Grease?" Michael snapped, standing eye to eye with him.

"Just giving you back your homework. You dropped it," he said, not cracking a grin. "I wouldn't worry. Just tape it back together and you shouldn't have any problems."

"You're the one that's going to have a problem, Grease," Michael threatened, squaring his shoulders.

"You already have one, Holden," Two-Bit replied.

"There a problem here, boys?"

Two-Bit recognized the voice and turned around as Michael relaxed his shoulders.

"No problem, Mr. Greene," he said.

"Then get to class, both of you. You're already late," Greene ordered.

_All that ever matters is, baby,  
__Who's ahead in the game.  
__Funny, but it's always the same._

"I fucking hate bowling, Ellie," Dally growled over the crash of bowling pins, the roar of the music from the speakers, and the various conversations going on around him.

Ellie shrugged as she tied the lace of her rental shoes. "You don't have to bowl, then. Play pinball with Johnny and Pony."

"I hate pinball, too," he grumbled, looking over his shoulder where Johnny was engrossed in the middle of a ball and Pony was watching through the glass. Steve, Soda and Two-Bit were in line at the counter to buy food, and he could hear them from all the way across the room. He rolled his eyes at all the commotion they were making. Darry was even there to bowl with them, which surprised everyone.

"Well, there's that other game, the baseball one," she suggested.

"That's the same as pinball, just on a baseball diamond," he said, a disgusted look on his face. "That's stupid."

"You just hate everything today, don't you?" she asked with a smile as she stood up, raking her fingers through her hair and pulling it back into a loose ponytail. It was the first time she'd pulled her hair back off of her face in weeks.

Dally leaned forward and caught his fingers in the belt loops of her jeans. "I don't hate _everything_," he corrected as he tugged her towards him and onto his lap. He glanced up to see if the guys were around, but the three clowns were still in line and Darry had gone to find a new bowling ball from the racks lining the back wall.

"You seem pretty happy today, huh?" he observed, his arms snaking around her waist. "What's the deal?"

She shrugged nonchalantly, a smile still set firmly on her lips.

"Nothin' much I guess," she said, planting a kiss on his lips.

"Well, now," drawled Two-Bit as he and the other guys placed trays filled with food on the table in front of them, "I hope we can get a little game of ten-pin squeezed in before you two lovebirds get too distracted."

Dally could see Ellie blushing from the corner of his eye and wrapped his arms tighter around her waist when she tried to stand up. He noticed Steve glaring at both of them and couldn't help but smirk in his direction.

Ellie smacked the back of Dally's hand and sank into the seat next to him.

"Where are the girls?" she asked. "I thought they were coming tonight."

Steve crammed a fistful of fries in his mouth before he replied, "We thought so, too, but then something came up about a girls' night or something stupid like that."

Soda swiped a few fries from Steve's basket. "How come you didn't go, Ellie?" he asked with a grin. "Didn't they invite you?"

"She ain't got any girlfriends," Dally answered for her.

She rolled her eyes at him. "I've got girlfriends."

"I haven't seen one lately," Dally said.

"That's 'cause they're scared of you," she retorted, reaching for a Coke the boys had brought back with them.

"Name one," he challenged her. He took a handful of her ponytail and gave it a tug.

When she hesitated, Dally laughed. "See? You don't got any friends that are girls."

"And why do you think that is?" she asked, ripping her hair out of his grasp and punching him in the arm. "If you don't scare them away first and they do stick around, then Soda comes along, looks at them the right way and they faint."

Soda grinned at her last comment. "Well, I can't argue with that."

"You're sayin' it's _our_ fault you don't have any girlfriends?" Two-Bit asked incredulously.

"That's exactly what I'm saying," she replied.

_It was the wrong thing for me to do,  
__I said it's just a boys' game  
__But girls play too._

Ellie swung her arm back, the heavy bowling ball making her movements clumsy. Just as she was about to release the ball, Two-Bit ran up behind her, yelling like a banshee.

It startled her just like he was planning, and the ball landed with a heavy thud and a slight bounce before it headed straight for the gutter.

"Two-Bit!" she scolded, turning around.

Two-Bit's bowling shoes weren't providing enough traction to stop his momentum and the next thing anyone knew, he was crashing into Ellie, sending both of them to the ground and a good two feet down the bowling lane.

He clumsily stood and helped Ellie up, both of them sliding on the slick floor.

Ellie noticed a few people staring in their direction and tried to scold him, but with the way he was laughing along with the others, she gave him a small shove instead.

"Can't you just let me bowl one frame without trying to scare the living daylights out of me?" she asked.

Darry filled in a zero for her bowl and looked up at Two-Bit. "I don't know why you guys always want to come bowling. Nobody ever plays, y'all just try to mess each other up."

"You gotta add something to make bowling more fun," Two-Bit explained. "Otherwise, all you're doin' is watching people chuck bowling balls until it's your turn. That's boring."

"So why do we come?" Ellie asked, picking her ball up from the return shoot.

"Because it's fun sliding across the floor," he replied simply.

"You're an idiot," Dally stated flatly.

Two-Bit shrugged as Ellie headed back up to the line. Before she swung the ball back, she glanced over her shoulder. Satisfied that no one was trying to ambush her and mess up her second shot, she lined the ball up and heaved it down the alley.

It made it most of the way down the lane before it took a detour to the gutter. She walked back to the seats with a frown.

"Hate to break it to you, El, but you missed 'em all. Quit aiming for the gutter," Soda told her.

She turned her frown on him and plopped down beside Dallas, who threw a possessive arm around her shoulders.

"You bowled two gutter balls your last frame, Sodapop. I wouldn't be talkin' if I was you," Darry said.

"See, Ellie? It doesn't even matter if I'm distracting you or not," Two-Bit pointed out. "You still missed."

"I was paranoid somebody was going to tackle me and send _me_ into all of those pins," she replied.

"That proves I'm not an idiot," he said to Dally. "I sabotaged her shot without even moving. That's power."

"You're impossible, Two-Bit," she said.

"Speaking of impossible," Two-Bit replied, leaning forward in his seat animatedly, "did you tell the guys about Holden?"

Her smile faltered for a moment as she shook her head. "No. What about him?"

"Everything okay?" Johnny asked, setting his ball back on the rack as the pins were reset.

"What's going on with Holden?" Dally demanded.

"Probably not his trigonometry homework," Two-Bit said with a laugh, trying to loosen the tension he hadn't meant to create. "I wanted to make sure Ellie made it to class okay and she was almost there when Holden comes out of nowhere. He tried to block Ellie, but she pulled a fast one on him and tripped him instead!"

"I didn't mean to trip him," she said with mischievous look on her face. "His foot just got caught on mine."

"I'm gonna use that excuse the next time I trip somebody in the halls," Steve said, approvingly. "What'd you do to his homework?"

"When Ellie tripped him…well, when her foot got caught on his," he corrected himself, "all his shit went flying. I thought I'd be a swell guy and help him pick up his books and stuff, but I guess I was a little clumsy today. I accidentally tore up one of his trig papers."

"Oh, I'm sure that was an accident," Ellie said with a nod of her head.

"What's done is done. It ain't my fault all his papers ended up under my feet," Two-Bit said, winking at her. She smiled a real smile and he grinned back at her.

_After chasing sunsets,  
__One of life's simple joys  
__Is playing with the boys._

Dallas really did hate the bowling alley and he had never hated it as much as he did right then. It was too much up and down and moving around and not enough of her just sitting there with him. Everyone wanted to talk to her and she wanted to talk to everyone. All he was doing was getting pissed.

She was nestled up beside him, his arm slung around her shoulders. Pony was up taking his turn and everyone else had spread out, finding other things to do and taking their turns only if they happened to be around. For the most part, the game was left to Ellie and Pony who were bowling everyone else's frames when they weren't paying attention. Dally never thought the tenth frame would ever come.

"You're up, El," Pony said, walking toward them and plopping himself down beside her. Dally watched the kid carefully and noticed him pointedly refusing to make eye contact with him. "Make it a good one. It's your last shot."

"I'll be right back," she chirped, sliding out of the chair and from under his arm.

He watched her pick up her ball and roll it right down the center of the lane. It hit just to the right of the head pin, taking almost all of them down. The seven pin wobbled in the corner and stood standing. She stamped a foot annoyed, but when she turned around there was big smile on her face.

Dally could hear Steve and Two-Bit talking unnaturally quiet at the tables behind him, which more than likely wasn't a good sign. He tried to tune in when he heard them mention Ellie and Holden in the same sentence.

"She really did that?" Steve asked. "She tripped him?"

"I shit you not, she really did. I mean, I was standing down the hall, ready to jump the asshole if he so much as nudged her, but she had it handled," Two-Bit replied.

"I can't believe that. I mean I can, 'cause she gets attitude like that, but I thought she was real scared of him," Steve said. "But she did jump into that fight that got Dal jailed."

"I told you it was because of Dal."

Steve's voice was barely a hushed whisper and sounded pissed off, which made Dally grin to himself. "That's bullshit. He ain't done anything to make her so brave all of a sudden."

"I think it's because of that medal hanging around her neck. She's just been different, you know? Like she won something almost."

Dally heard Steve scoff and wondered if he should tell the gossiping hens to shut their mouths before he did it for them. Before he had a chance to, something blurred and Dally tore his eyes away from the fixed point he was staring at. Ellie was standing in front of him, her eyes bright and her smile wide.

"Did you see that?" she asked, excitedly.

He looked around her and saw the pins being reset.

"You get 'em all?" he asked, uninterested.

She nodded her head and strands of hair fell loose from her ponytail and framed her face. She leaned down, resting her hands on his legs and bringing her face close to his.

"You really hate bowling, don't you?" she asked.

"Tomorrow it's just you and me. You dig?" he told her.

"Like what?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Like a movie or something. Somewhere without all them," he said, tilting his head to the side where Pony was still sitting.

"Just you and me?" she asked, her eyes lighting up again.

"Ain't that what I just said?" he asked, pushing her hands off of his thighs before he started to think about being alone with her. It wasn't going to happen at the bowling alley, but it might somewhere else.

"And before you ask, I'll see who'll let me use their car, but we might be stuck walking," he said. "If I can get a car, maybe we can go to the drive-in."

"The drive-in?" she cried. "It's freezing out!"

"Then it won't be crowded," he reasoned. "Besides, there are other ways to keep warm, ain't there?"

"Fine," she finally said, leaning back down and kissing him softly. It drove him nuts and he wanted to make it with her right there on the plastic seats. Knock Ponyboy to the floor and piss off Steve just to see if he could. And he knew he could.

She pulled away and backed up a couple of steps.

"I told Johnny I'd play a game of pinball with him. You wanna play, Pony?" she asked.

Dally laughed. The kid's face was as red as his shoes and he had squirmed as far away from them as he could get.

"Sure," he replied sheepishly as he stood up and walked widely around her, staying as far from Dally as he could get.

"You wanna play, Dal?" she asked.

"I'll be over," he replied dryly.

"Hurry up," she said, almost mouthing the words instead of speaking them.

He watched her bounce away with Pony as Two-Bit picked the conversation up behind him.

"You see that?" he asked Steve.

"See what?"

"The way she's acting, you dimwit. That's the first time in weeks she hasn't gotten all pissed off over nothing. She's happy for once," Two-Bit said.

"You think she's happier just 'cause she smiled? She smiles all the time, Two-Bit," Steve blasted.

"Not like that. Maybe if you coulda seen her take on that soc earlier. She's different all of a sudden. At least from how she's been since she got jumped," he said. "And I tell ya, it's 'cause of _him_." The last word was barely audible and Dally was sure if he turned around, he would catch Two-Bit pointing in his direction.

However, Dally zoned out the conversation. He didn't want to hear anything else they had to say. He looked over at her playing pinball with Johnny, Pony and Darry. She was laughing at something and had been talking up a storm the entire night. Soda walked over and said something and he could hear her burst out laughing all the way from where he was sitting. Rolling his eyes, he stood and looked at Two-Bit and Steve who were picking through the food left on the table and talking about some stupid girl with curly hair.

They were wrong. She wasn't happy or any different because of him. She was just having a good time. Still, something sat funny in the pit of his stomach. It was a strange feeling for him, almost like nerves or something else he couldn't really comprehend.

Ellie stood in front of the pinball machine, pulling the spring lever back and sending the ball into the maze of flashing lights when he walked over.

"Hey, Dal," Johnny greeted him.

"Hey, Johnny," he returned, standing behind Ellie.

She looked over her shoulder at him and smiled. "You finally come to play?"

"Yeah, something like that," he said, wrapping his arms around her and leaning in close to her ear. "Let's blow this joint."

She sighed against him and slapped the ball back to the top of the machine with the paddle. As it bounced around up top she said quietly back to him, "Not tonight, Dal. I wanna stick around for awhile."

He backed off and leaned back against the wall, not caring about the way Darry and everyone else was looking at him. She let loose a heavy sigh and dropped her arms from the buttons and let the ball roll between the paddles. She walked up to him and stood on her tiptoes and looked straight at him.

"Tomorrow," she said simply. "Just play a game of pinball and try and have a good time. I promise no one else will come tomorrow. I promise."

He looked down at her, his arms crossed over his middle and gave her an even glare. When she cracked a grin, it almost cracked the angry line he'd set his mouth into.

"Come on," she prodded. "Just one game. I promise you'll have fun. If not for me, then do it for Johnny, please? Someone's gotta beat that kid's score. He's kicking all our asses."

He kept his lips in a firm line before he nodded briefly. "Fine. For Johnny."

"Fine," she replied with a smile.

_You're shining, you're smiling  
__I've seen enough…  
_

Also, if you're looking for a place to chat about The Outsiders and fan fiction, there's a link on our profile page to a great message board. Check it out!


	21. Damn

**Disclaimer: These boys simply don't belong to us, but we do thank S.E. Hinton and her wonderful mind for thinking them up. We owe her a lot. We also don't own Matchbox Twenty's song, "Damn." **

* * *

_This cold girl well_  
_Don't she make you wanna scream,  
_"_Damn."_

Ellie shivered in her coat and Dally, in spite of himself, hitched his own tighter around himself. His idea to take bring Ellie to the drive-in had been a good one in theory. It would finally get her alone with him without the rest of the gang in the way, and it would keep all of her attention on him. With the seasons changing, and winter right around the corner, Dally knew the drive-in would be close to desolate. The damn place nearly went out of business every winter, despite the small heaters they offered near the rows of seating in front of the concession stand. That meant even fewer people distracting them.

However, he hadn't expected it to be so damn cold. He also hadn't expected Buck to be such an asshole and hide the keys to his car. Dally's boot connected roughly with the lousy heater, and he grumbled to himself.

In reality, the drive-in was a bad fucking idea.

Dally crossed his arms tightly against his chest and leaned back in his seat. The thin gaps between the slats on the seats only circulated the air around them completely. He fought a shiver that tried to make its way down his spine.

"Why don't we go somewhere else?" Dally asked.

"Like where?" Ellie asked through clenched teeth.

"I don't know. Somewhere warmer."

She furrowed her brow and repeated herself. "Where?"

"Buck's is warmer than this place," he suggested.

She tried to glare but the way her chin trembled in the cold made it look anything but menacing. "That doesn't qualify as a date."

In the weeks since the party, Ellie had casually rejected any suggestion Dally made to hang out there. He knew he shouldn't be surprised in her reaction, especially when he had yet to get her to admit that she didn't regret sleeping with him in the first place. She stayed far away from the topic and, needless to say, a repeat incident.

"It seemed to be okay for a date not so long ago," he stated.

He glanced over to see her clenching her jaw and staring up at the screen. His foot met with the heater once again until it sputtered and died.

"Nice," she muttered, pulling her coat tighter.

He pulled out a cigarette and lit it, considering taking the match to his jacket. That would be guaranteed to warm him up. The wind whipped around him and blew the small flame out. He cursed under his breath.

The cartoon that was introducing the movie was just ending and Dally cursed again. They were already miserable and the movie hadn't even started yet. It was going to be a long night.

He tried to sit still through the opening credits, but he was finding it difficult. He couldn't feel his face anymore. In fact, the only thing he could feel was the violent trembling going on in the seat next to him. He could hear Ellie's teeth crash down on each other every so often.

"Do you wanna go yet?" he snapped. Suddenly her trembling slowed and her face was painted stubborn again.

"This was your idea," she said, not looking at him.

"Yeah, well, it was a pretty lousy idea," Dally admitted. He just wanted to get out of the cold. If admitting all of his faults got him near a heater faster, so be it.

Her lip faintly twitched before she set it in a firm line again. "Yeah, it was."

"So we can go?" he asked, practically leaping out of his seat.

"I didn't-" she started but was cut off by Dally tugging her out of the seat.

"We're going," he told her, leaving no room for argument. She grudgingly followed beside him.

_This old heart's had a whole lot of breakin' down.  
She's got all these reasons in her head._

"So where are we going?" she asked, trying to match his long strides and keep up with him.

"The Dingo. Where else would we be goin' on this road?" he said impatiently. "It's the closest and it's got a fuckin' heater."

"What? You can't handle the cold?" she asked, her words catching between her shivers.

He looked over at her, narrowing his gaze at the grin on her lips.

"You're the one shaking like a leaf," he blasted. "And your lips are turning blue."

"They are not," she contested.

"I'll warm them up when we get there," he assured her.

They finally got within eyesight of the restaurant, and Dally took a quick look at the cars parked in the parking lot to see who was there. He caught sight of a familiar Bel Air and twisted his wind-chapped lips into a grin.

"What?" Ellie asked, peeking her face out of the collar of her coat that was buttoned as high as it would go.

"Shepard's here," he told her, walking toward his car.

"So?" she complained. "Dal, let's go inside."

Dally ignored the plea and sauntered up to Tim's car, scanning the lot to make sure no one was outside. He grinned wickedly, suddenly happy it was cold enough to force everyone inside.

"What are you doing?" she asked in a harsh whisper.

Dally looked at her. She was standing on the curb in front of the car staring at him. He hadn't forgotten the little stunt that asshole pulled with Ellie. He'd be damned if he'd let Shepard get away with kissing his girl.

"You got a key or something?" he asked, fumbling around in his own pockets with numb fingers to find something that would make a wide enough scratch.

"Are you kidding me?" she asked, her voice high pitched with surprise. She pointed a shaky finger at the building beside them. "He's right inside!"

He looked over toward the big picture window that faced only a small portion of the parking lot. The dumbass had parked well out of sight of that window, and Dallas was intent on giving him a wake up call.

"What are you so worried about, Princess?" he asked.

"Why do you two do this shit? It's stupid," she asked.

"Because I fuckin' feel like it. Do you have a key, or what?" he asked, holding his palm out impatiently.

She looked back toward the picture window and the people milling about inside.

"No one will see shit," he said. "Shepard's a dumbass for not parking his car down there."

She sighed and, with a roll of her eyes, dug into her coat pocket and pulled out a key ring.

"Just don't tell him it was my key," she said, handing it to him.

He snatched it out of her hand and singled out a key. Walking toward the front of the car on the passenger side, he dug it into the paint just above the tire and went for a short walk. The scrape of metal against metal sent chills up and down his entire body, but he didn't stop until he was well beyond the back tire.

"That'll do it," he said, admiring his work.

"He's going to kick your ass," she said, taking in the deep scratch in the paint.

"We'll just have to wait and see about that," he said, leading her back toward the sidewalk.

"Can I have my key back 'fore you decide to use it again?" she asked, trying to snatch it out of his hand.

Dally pulled his hand away from her, and catching her off guard, he backed her into the brick wall behind them.

"Still cold?" he asked, holding the collar of her coat with both hands and lowering his face so it was close to hers.

"I'm freezing, Dallas. Are we going in or what?" she asked, that chatter still in her teeth.

"Not yet," he said. He kissed her slowly and deliberately. He could almost feel the ice crystals melting off of her as she kissed him back. A stiff breeze picked up and she forced her hands into his pockets and pulled him closer against her.

They were hot and heavy when Dallas heard the low whistle behind him. Breaking away from her, he turned and saw Tim standing just a few feet away with a girl by his side.

"Who's the flavor of the week, Shepard?" he asked, his hands still holding Ellie's face, his body still pressing her against the wall.

"I see you're still datin' yours, Winston," Tim acknowledged, nodding toward Ellie with a wink.

Dally narrowed his eyes at that, but the thought of the new décor on Shepard's car brought a small grin to his face.

"Where y'all headed?" Dally asked, stepping back and pulling Ellie with him.

"What's it to you?" Tim asked.

"I ain't got a car but you do, and I'm willin' to bet you and Miss Vanilla are headed for Buck's," Dally said.

"Does Miss Shortcake want to go to Buck's, too?" Tim asked. "You lookin' to get her trashed again?"

Ellie tensed up beside him, and Dally evened his glare.

"Quit fuckin' around, Shepard. It's like the damn North Pole out here. You goin' or not?"

"Yeah, we're going. You want to bum a ride or something?" Tim asked.

"What the hell have I been saying?" Dally retorted.

"Dal," Ellie said loud enough for only him to hear. "That probably isn't such a good idea."

"Ain't no skin off my back if you freeze out here," Tim said.

"Tim, just give them the ride. It's freezing," the blonde broad piped up.

"Yeah, Timmy. Just give us the ride," Dally mimicked.

"You call me Timmy again, Dallas, and you'll find yourself under my car before you're in it," Tim threatened, whipping out his keys and pulling his girl toward the car.

Dally smirked and led Ellie toward the car. He was almost disappointed Tim wasn't gentleman enough to open his date's door. He watched the blonde girl- he thought her name was Linda- for any reaction to the scratch, but she was too busy popping her gum and fussy with her hair to notice anything but herself. Ellie grabbed his arm as he climbed into the backseat.

"What's wrong with you? He's going to see what you did and drop us both off in the middle of nowhere," she hissed.

"Cool it, El. He didn't see shit," he replied.

She slid into the seat beside him. "But he's going to."

Dally looked at Tim staring back at him in the rearview mirror and said, "You better believe it."

"What the fuck are you whispering about?" Tim asked as he pulled the car out of the parking space at breakneck speed.

Dally gave Tim the biggest grin he could. "Not a thing, Timmy."

Tim took the next corner too fast, squealing the tires and sending Dally and Ellie flying into the corner of the backseat.

"You better watch yourself the next time you're walking somewhere, Dal," Tim warned, still staring in the rearview mirror. "I wasn't lying about running your ass over if you called me that again."

"I'll keep my eyes peeled, buddy," Dally reassured him with a cocky grin.

_What's the matter girl?_  
_Don't you think I'm good enough?_

The warmth of the car was short lived. Ellie had barely thawed out when Tim pulled up outside of Buck's. Even from the backseat of the car she could hear the music pulsating from the jukebox. Tim was staring at her from the rearview mirror, and Ellie felt her stomach tighten. She really didn't want to be there when he saw the scratch on his car.

The four of them got out without so much a word and headed inside. Ellie held her breath and hoped Linda didn't see the scratch Dally left on the car. As much as she didn't like the way Tim treated her, she wasn't looking forward to watching him and Dally fight.

Tim led the way up the porch steps to Buck's and held the door for his date. Dallas grabbed it from him and let Ellie duck under his arm. She stood in the entryway, looking over the ruckus and wishing like hell she wasn't there.

"Want a drink?" he asked, leaning close to her ear so she could hear.

Looking back at him, she shook her head.

"Want to go upstairs?" he asked, his voice a bit huskier. "It'll be warm."

Ellie hesitated. In the hustle and bustle, she could still make out Tim and a handful of other boys she knew must be in his gang and gaggles of girls in low cut blouses and short skirts making her feel a little obsolete. Sylvia was in the corner sitting on Will's lap and kissing her way to a room of her own.

She knew what he was going to expect if she said yes to go upstairs, and her emotions toyed with her, emoting from a certain want and need to total fear. She wasn't drunk this time, and she was actually thinking things through which was only making her decision more difficult.

The more she looked around the bar, the more she didn't want to stay downstairs. Dally's arms were wrapped around her, and she breathed in that mix of Kools and cologne and she couldn't ignore the stirring in her stomach.

"Okay," she replied.

He didn't ask if she was sure this time. Instead, he grabbed her hand and yanked her toward the steps, meandering through the crowded bar and nearly losing her in the throngs of people. Once they made it to the top of the steps, he led her down the hall and opened the door, pulling her inside.

With the door shut, Dally backed her into it and picked up where he had left off against the wall of the Dingo. Hardly breaking the kiss, he shrugged his coat off and yanked his shirt over his head. Her hands touched his lean build, traveling from his midsection to his shoulders. Her stomach stirred.

"Take this off," he said, pulling away and helping her with the buttons on her coat. She slid it off of her shoulders and tossed it where his lay on the floor.

His lips crashed back down onto hers, his hands busy undoing her blouse and his own jeans. He pulled her away from the door and lay her down on the bed. His kissed his way down her neck and the weight of his body on hers started to induce panic deep within her. There were too many things that could happen, and she had to stop them.

"Dally," she begged, fighting for breath.

"What?" he mumbled, kissing her lips again.

Ellie turned her head, fighting to get away from him.

"Stop it," she demanded pathetically. "Stop."

He wasn't getting the clue and Ellie tried to sit up. They knocked heads and Dally cursed, rolling off of her and sitting up beside her. She didn't look at him. Instead, she closed her eyes and held her head where she'd bumped it, trying to not think about the look she knew must be on his face.

"What's wrong?" he asked, his tone sharp.

Ellie turned her head slowly and looked at him for a long second.

"I can't do this right now," she told him.

"Why the hell not?" he snapped.

"I don't know," she said, hugging her knees.

"Fuck," he mumbled. "What're we supposed to do now, Miss Priss?"

"Stop calling me that," she snapped back.

"What do you want me to call you? Frankenstein?" he asked. A sour smile twisted onto his lips.

Ellie stood up and glared back at him. He was trying to hurt her, and she'd be damned if she gave into that again.

"I have a name you know," she blasted, getting up and grabbing her shirt off of the floor. "It ain't Miss Priss or Princess or Frankenstein. It ain't Darlin' or Dollface or anything like that. Just call me by my name. Okay?"

She finished yelling at him and stood in the center of the room with her shirt hanging loosely from her thin frame. The silence was awkward, and Ellie looked away, embarrassed.

"You never answered me," he said.

With a sigh, she sat on the edge of the bed. He moved behind her and brushed her hair over one shoulder.

"What are we supposed to do now?" he asked, close to her ear.

"I don't know," she replied. "We could go back downstairs."

"Ain't gonna happen," he said. "They saw me go up here with you, and I ain't going back down until morning."

"What? You're worried about what they think?" she sassed, half-heartedly.

He kissed between her neck and her shoulder, sending chills down her spine.

"Nah," he said, close to her ear. "They'll start saying shit about you and then I'll have to kick in everyone's head. I gotta save my strength for Shepard."

"All because you had to key his car," she said.

"He shouldn't have kissed you," he replied, snaking an arm over her shoulder and undoing the buttons she'd just buttoned.

"He was just trying to piss you off," she said, slapping his hand away. "Just like you're pissing me off now."

"Christ," he muttered, standing up and pulling his jeans on. "You're such a fuckin' tease."

"I am not," she snapped, standing up and matching his stance.

"Guess you gotta be drunk off your ass to have any fun," he said, turning to the window and sliding it open.

"I do not," she retorted.

"Seems like it. You're stuck up as hell anymore," he said, turning back and looking at her.

"Is that how you get girls into bed? You insult them?" she asked, feeling goose bumps pimple on her arms.

"I usually don't have a problem with it, Dollface," he said.

He sat back on the bed and pulled the blankets over him and looked at her smugly.

"Cold?"

Ellie looked at the curtains billowing in the breeze blowing through the window. She could make out the frost that had accumulated on the sill and she hated that he always left that damn window open. The easy option would have been to shut the window, but she knew he would just open it again himself. She gritted her teeth when he threw the blankets back a hair, the warm bed inviting her cold body into it.

"Fine," she grumbled, giving in and diving under the blankets. She pulled them up to her chin and said, "You're crazy and you're going to get us sick."

"I don't get sick," he said. Ellie scooted close to him and he wrapped an arm around her. "Works like a charm."

"You're a jerk. You know that?" she asked, resting her head on his chest.

"Yeah, well, goes without saying," he replied.

He reached over her and grabbed his cigarettes from the nightstand.

"Want one?" he asked.

"Sure," she said.

He took hold of the Christopher medal around her neck and struck the match. Flaring to life, he stuck two cigarettes in his mouth and lit them both with expertise. Handing one off to her, he took a long drag on his own and looked at her.

"What?" she asked, the smoke not doing much to calm her nerves.

"Do you regret sleepin' with me?" he asked, his tone serious for once.

"I-I…," Ellie stumbled over her words and looked away.

"You what?" he asked, impatiently.

"I don't know," she said. It was the honest truth.

"Well, fuck if I know," he growled, blowing smoke at her. "What the hell does that mean?"

"It means I don't know," she snapped, glaring at him. "I don't know what to think."

"What's your problem?" he asked. "I'm not going to talk shit about you like the guys all seem to think I'm goin' to."

"You just said we couldn't go downstairs because everybody else would see," Ellie recalled.

Dally frowned at her. "I can't help it if those idiots assume shit. What are you so afraid of?"

"I'm not afraid," she said quietly.

"Bullshit. You were ready and willing to go when we got up here. What the hell happened?" he asked.

Ellie leaned over and stubbed her cigarette out on an ashtray on the nightstand. She watched the last of the smoke stream into the air and dissipate slowly.

"Just be patient with me, Dal," she said, looking at him imploringly. "I think too much sometimes and I scare myself."

"What the hell are you so afraid of? I've known you since, hell, I don't even know," he said, reaching across her and stubbing his smoke out. "It ain't like I'm going to hurt you, kid."

"You've known me since before you went to New York," she said, leaning her head back against the headboard. Her eyes wandered on the far wall and finally came back to his.

"Yeah, so a long time," he said. "What's the problem?"

"I'm not exactly used to this," she said, holding her other fears back.

"It's just sex," he commented.

"Yeah, and stuff happens," she replied, beating around the bush.

"What?" Dally asked. "Look, it ain't nothing. Everyone is going to fuck around tonight like they do every weekend. It's not a big deal."

Ellie's fingers played with the fraying blanket. "Things still happen," she said.

"What? Like your mom gettin' knocked up with you when she was just a kid?" he asked.

Ellie's eyes widened at the comment, her mouth falling slightly agape. She couldn't believe he'd actually brought that up. She thought that would be one conversation he'd run from as fast as he could.

"Yeah, and her dad kicked her out. They aren't going to let me stay if it happens to me," she said, her voice rising and falling. "And what about you?"

She saw the annoyance on his face, followed by the shock of the question she'd asked.

"What the fuck is the matter with you?" he blasted. "Who the hell talks about this?"

"You brought it up," she argued.

"Bullshit I did," he snapped.

"And what about your parents?" she asked. "Your dad stuck around."

"That bastard didn't do shit, Ella. She wasn't much older than you and so what if he stuck around at first? He beat the hell outta both of us 'til she left, then he got rid of me too. He ain't nothing but a name on a birth certificate," he told her.

Ellie sat there, eyes wide in shock at a truth she'd never really known.

"Oh," was all she could say.

"'Oh' what?" he snapped.

"I didn't know that," she replied quietly.

"Jesus, Ellie," he hissed, turning onto his side, his back to her. That said more to her than his words did.

"What?" she demanded, growing frustrated with his sudden mood swings.

"You sure know how to kill the fucking mood, don't you?" he said. "You work better than a cold fucking shower."

Ellie frowned at his back. He was the most unpredictable person she had ever met and it pissed her off to no extent, even if she did feel sorry for him right then. She knew he would be annoyed with her decision, but she hoped he would get over it. She wanted to kick herself for expecting so much out of him. She turned on to her side, away from him. Two could easily play this game.

"Go to hell, Dally," she muttered.

"It'd sure be a lot warmer than this freezer," he replied.

She felt a sudden urge to cry or yell or kick him. She didn't know which would have the best result, so she simply tugged the blanket tighter and closed her eyes. He was easy to get angry with, and she was more than willing to let herself be mad at him.

When he pulled the blankets back, leaving her with barely enough to pull around her, she wondered who ever said that the sun should never set on an argument. He would have changed his tune pretty quickly had he ever met Dallas Winston.

_She's taken her time 'til_  
_I thought I would die.  
__And I can't sit still._

* * *

A/N: We know, we know. We're really, really slow with the updates. Honestly, we work on them for a good while, but school is getting in the way at the moment. It keeps us busier than we like.

What's everyone thinking about this couple? Are they enough fire and ice, or a little of the the same? Does she regret it?


	22. Only One

**We must give credit where credit is due. S.E. Hinton owns most of these boys and Lifehouse owns the song, "Only One." **  
_

* * *

She's got a pretty smile,  
It covers up the poison that she hides._

A scratchy tickle in Dally's throat roused him the next morning. Through squinted eyes, he cleared his throat and winced at the annoying pain. He noticed the curtains fluttering the same way they had been during his argument with Ellie the night before. He groaned at the thought of being sick after he made such a big show to keep that damn window open.

Ellie was nestled close to his side but not touching him despite the fact that she was curled into a tight ball, trying to preserve her body temperature. She was as stubborn as he was, and he tossed an arm around her and still asleep, she melted against him. He loosened the blankets he'd been hogging most of the night, and pulled them over so she had enough to wrap up in. She pulled them tighter, but he wasn't sure if she was actually awake or not. If she was awake, she was damn smart to keep her mouth shut for the time being.

He was still pissed off at her. If she had been any other broad, any, he would have kicked her out on her ass. Why in the hell did he have to ask her that damn question? Why did it matter if she regretted sleeping with him or not? He'd slept with girls and given them no never mind the next morning. Half the time he wanted them out as soon as they finished. Oddly enough, that left a lot of girls he thought were tough as nails, in tears.

She broke into his thoughts and snuggled closer against him. Dally grinned into her hair, plotting how he was going to get her shirt off and her skirt up and actually get her to go for it so early in the morning. He wondered if maybe the disorientation of waking up would be enough to get things moving like the alcohol had.

With his eyes closed, feigning sleep, he inconspicuously let his hand wander northward from her hip and under her shirt. He froze just south of his goal when he heard heavy boots thudding up the staircase.

Dally pulled the covers over both of their heads, trying to drown out all the yelling. He wasn't interested in whatever the problem was.

Suddenly the door began pulsating with a pounding fist. It was loud and persistent and, had there been any pictures hanging on the walls, it likely would have knocked them clear off. He felt Ellie's entire body tense up against his, and he cursed because his plan was thwarted.

Cursing again, he tossed the blankets off the bed and climbed over Ellie to get to the door. She was still getting her bearings when he neared the door.

"Whatever the fuck this is about, it better be good," he said, his hand on the doorknob. He wondered who had the balls to wake him up like that so early in the morning.

Ellie sat up suddenly, a look of panic on her face. "Don't, Dally!" she whispered fiercely.

But by the time she got that warning out, he had already swung the door open. The same heavy fist that was banging on the door suddenly greeted his face.

"You stupid son of a bitch!" Tim yelled, as Dally tried to right himself. His feet were working against him as they got tangled up Ellie's coat and his own from the night before. Tim knocked him another good one, sending him to the floor.

Ellie was by his side in a heartbeat, trying to help him back up. "Dally," she warned, her tone thin with worry.

He shoved her to the side as he stood up. Tim still stood in the doorway, his fists clenching and unclenching at his sides.

"What the hell is all this about?" Dally asked. Ellie shot him a glance, but he still didn't get it.

"What do you think it's about, you piece of shit?" Tim growled. His eyes narrowed on Ellie. "She seems to know."

Ellie cowered further back into the room and Dally furrowed his brows trying to think about what happened. A tight grin spread across his face when he remembered the free detailing he left on Tim's car.

"Son of a bitch," Tim muttered at Dally's realization, pushing the door open wider.

Dally moved faster than he did, readying himself for a good fight. It wasn't exactly how he imagined it, but he could handle himself.

"What asshole keys a car, and then asks for a fucking ride in it?" Tim asked. "That's what I really want to know. Are you that stupid?"

"You're the one that agreed to drive us here, Timmy," Dally corrected.

Tim reached into his pocket and pulled out his switchblade. Flicking it to life, he wielded it in Dally's direction and said, "How about I forget running you over in my car and I'll just make you match it instead?"

"Now, now Timmy. It's just a car," Dally reasoned, playfully. "Don't get your panties in a twist."

Tim lunged at him, but Dally was ready. He ducked and danced his way around so that his back was now facing the open bedroom door.

"Come on, Shepard. I know you know how to use a blade better than that," he toyed.

As he moved around, he saw that Ellie stood in the corner, watching the scene with eyes wider than saucers. She looked scared and he almost laughed. She'd seen shit like this a dozen times before. What the fuck was her problem?

"Stop it," she yelled, but he ignored her cry.

Dally kept his gaze firmly on Tim and the knife in his hand. He wouldn't put it past Shepard to gut him for scratching his car, and he certainly wouldn't put it past him to kill him for asking for a ride after he did it either.

Tim swiped at him, but Dally was watching and dodged out of the way. Tim swiped again, his movements quick but careful, each one plotted with precision. Dally backed out into the hallway but space was limited, as a group of bleary-eyed teens had gathered after being awoken by the commotion.

No one was moving. Small groups of people stood on either side of the door, watching with animalistic fascination as Dally was backed into a wall with no quick exit, allowing Tim one good swipe at him. It was surprisingly painless when the blade sliced across his right arm.

Dally grabbed his arm, blood flowing freely between his fingers, and looked up at Tim, his face fixed into a glare that would send anyone in their right mind packing. Tim stood there, knife ready for another strike, but paused and waiting for his opponent's undivided attention. Dally knew he couldn't take much glory in gutting him if he wasn't looking when he made the cut.

Letting go of his arm, Dally readied himself when Tim was knocked off balance from behind. He dropped the knife and turned his glare to Ellie as she darted around him and ran up beside Dally.

"What the hell is wrong with you two?" she demanded, taking Dally's arm and inspecting the damage. Her hands were covered in his blood in seconds, but she didn't pay attention to it. Dally wanted to tell her to quit fawning over him like a girl, but she had already turned her attention back to Tim.

"You're going to kill him over a scratch on your car?" she asked, making him sound petty. She sounded tough, but Dally could feel her hands shaking even though they were wrapped around his arm.

"Did you see it, Princess?" Tim asked, snatching his blade from Rick Bradley and pointing it at her.

Dally pushed her into the crowd and lunged at Tim, knocking them both to the floor. Nobody called her that but him.

Tim was undoubtedly a good fighter, and even taken off guard he still had a grip on his knife. Grabbing his wrist, Dally squeezed it and banged it against the floor a couple of times until he let go, evening the odds.

They rolled around and eventually made it back to their feet. Dally was only vaguely aware of the commotion going on behind them, but he noticed when a third party stepped into the middle of the fight, ending it on the spot.

"What in the hell do you two think you're doin'?" Buck blasted, a whistle escaping through the gap in his teeth. "Knock it off."

"We're busy, Buck," Dally warned, standing square with him. "We got something to settle."

"And you'll have something to settle tomorrow and next week," he replied, looking tiredly between the two of them. "If you want a place to stay, you better find someplace else to settle it."

Dally glared at him until he left and looked at Tim who was back in the hallway and picking his knife up from the floor. He turned and pointed it at him.

"Don't fuck with my car, Dallas," he warned. Motioning toward his arm, he said, "You're one lucky asshole."

"Maybe you're the lucky one," a small voice said. Dally heard her, but he couldn't see her and moved back toward the hallway. She was standing defiantly in front of Tim with only a few spectators still hovering.

"Is that right?" Tim asked.

"Get the hell away from her, Shepard," he warned, knocking his shoulder and pushing Ellie behind him. "Don't fucking touch her."

Tim chuckled and stuck his blade into his back pocket.

"I didn't touch her," he said, winking at her. "Not today at least."

"Go to hell, Tim," Ellie said. She made her away around both of them and walked back into the room.

Tim raised an eyebrow and looked at him.

"Guess we'll just have to finish this one a little later," Tim said.

"I can hardly wait," Dally replied, glancing into his room. He could see Ellie digging through the drawers in the dresser, her cheeks flushing a deep red.

"See you around, Shepard," Dally said, walking into the room.

"Not if I see you first," Tim replied.

_She walks around in circles in my head,  
__Waiting for a chance to break me,  
__Chance to take me down._

Ellie quietly pushed open her bedroom window and climbed inside. Sitting on her bed, she took in the sounds of an argument just down the hall. She could hear them both arguing in the kitchen; they seemed to start their fights earlier every single day. This time it was about some poker game Jimmy wanted to play in, but Ellie blocked it out. She had other things on her mind and wasn't in the mood to think about their problems.

Unbuttoning her blouse, she tossed it on the floor and traded it for one from her closet that didn't have a smear of blood across the front of it. The slice on Dally's arm sure bled a lot for being so superficial. She smiled slightly at the way he had flinched away from her when she tried to clean it up. He could act like a child when he wanted to.

Once Buck had dismissed the crowds, Ellie got Dally to sit still long enough for her to find an old t-shirt to use as a rag.

"Would you quit fussin' over me, Ellie?" he had hissed when she took him by the wrist to look at it.

"What? You just want it to stay like that? Blood dripping all over the place before it gets so infected your whole arm falls off?" she asked, trying to keep a serious look on her face.

He narrowed his eyes into a scowl, but he finally kept his arm still so she could look at it. "That made me look real tuff, you making such a big deal about one little scratch."

Ellie nodded sarcastically, holding the rag up for him to see the blood that stained it. "Sure, just a little scratch."

"It ain't a big deal," he stated, but he left his arm in her care. "I've had worse."

"None of it would have happened at all if you would have left Tim's car alone last night," she reminded him, carefully wiping the blood away.

"You at least coulda warned me that's what I was answering the door to before I opened it," he remarked.

Ellie shrugged. "It wasn't my fault you weren't thinking. You should've known Tim was going to see his car sooner or later."

"Well, I was hoping it would be later. Didn't expect him to be up so early," he muttered, rubbing his jaw. It was bruising and looked slightly swollen.

Ellie looked back at his arm to keep from smiling. It served him right.

"You sound funny," she said innocently after a moment. "Like you're getting sick or something."

She glanced up to meet another scowl of his.

She pursed her lips to keep from downright grinning. "Don't tell me you're getting sick from sleeping with that window open all the time."

He ignored her last comment and cleared his throat. "How come you ain't sick from it?"

"I don't know," she said. She grabbed a small roll of gauze she'd found in the drawer. There hadn't been much left on it, and she assumed it was left over from someone else cleaning him up after some other fight he'd gotten himself into. "Just lucky, I guess."

She finished wrapping his arm up and held it up for him like it was a gift. "All done," she declared.

He wrapped his injured arm around her back and leaned close to her. "Thanks, Dollface," he murmured. "How much do I owe you?"

She pulled away from him and stood up. "That one's on the house, I guess. But don't count on that the next time Tim decides he wants to get even. He may do more damage than I can fix with a couple bandages."

Dally grabbed her wrist and pulled her onto his lap. "I can handle myself," he assured her, his fingers playing at the collar of her blouse, barely touching her skin and sending chills throughout her whole body. She about went crazy when he began kissing her jaw line.

"Dally?" she asked, as her stomach did flip-flops.

"Hm?" he asked between kisses.

She silently debated with herself, but she knew what she needed to do. "Will you take me home?"

Dally paused, and Ellie could almost feel another fight boiling beneath the surface. She was surprised when his lips lightly grazed her collarbone and he agreed.

"Yeah." For once, his voice was quiet and resigned.

She leaned forward and placed a kiss firmly on his lips and then one on the tender bruise forming. "Thanks, Dal."

"Don't thank me until I find Buck's keys," he corrected.

Ellie sighed as something very breakable splintered in the other room, bringing her back to the present and the arguing between her parents. Nothing new or unexpected, but it startled her nevertheless.

She lay back on her bed, letting the fight from the other room break into her thoughts. She didn't want to think about how she and Dally had been so close that morning without an argument. Sure, there was bickering, but there was no way to avoid that with somebody like Dally.

They had fought so vehemently the night before, but he finally let the argument drop that morning. She felt bad for leaving him hanging when she knew he needed an answer.

Did she regret sleeping with him? The fight on the other side of the wall suddenly sounded a few notches louder. She knew she should regret it, probably would regret it, but against her better judgment, she couldn't make herself regret it. No wonder he was so frustrated with her; she couldn't seem to make up her own mind. Until now. She needed to talk to him and straighten a few things out.

_It's all confusingly amusing,  
__Bitter and tainted, the picture you painted to me._

The black created by his closed eyes suddenly turned red. There was a soft giggle and, as he pulled the pillow out from under his head and over his face, someone light was straddled his middle.

"Dallas," a girly voice called to him.

He didn't reply.

"Hey, Morning Glory, it's time to get up," Ellie said. "I came to make you feel better."

She tugged at the pillow and Dally threw his arms over it and held it in place.

"You're going to suffocate that way," she scolded.

"Bullshit," he replied.

"Havin' no air won't make you feel better," she said.

"I feel fine. Go away," he snapped.

"It's almost four in the afternoon. It's time to get up," she said. When he didn't move, she continued, "You're going to be sorry if you don't get outta bed."

"Whatever you think, Dollface," he said.

A couple of seconds went by without a witty comeback and the next thing he knew, her fingers were digging into his sides and he sat up, throwing the pillow into her face.

"What the fuck, Ellie?" he roared.

She was laughing so hard her face was red and tears had formed in the corners of her eyes. He grabbed her wrists and held them tightly as she laughed. He felt like shaking some sense into her, but he loosened his grip instead.

"You a little ticklish there, Dal?" she asked, gasping for breath she was laughing so hard.

"Hell no," he said, letting go of her wrists and laying back down. He rubbed his eyes and glared at the open curtains. "Why did you open those? Fucking shut them."

"I like them open," she said, looking at him. Reaching out, she ruffled his hair and said, "How you feelin', Sunshine?"

He batted her hands away and threw his arms over his forehead to try and block out the sunlight and still be able to see her. Her hair was loose, hanging around her shoulders in soft tendrils that flowed together. She wore an airy smile on her face and she looked completely different than she had in weeks. There was something about that smile.

Looking down a little further and saw her skirt hiked up past her knees because of the way she was sitting on him. Removing his arms from his forehead, he slid his hands up her skirt and rested them on her thighs. She blushed and smiled, but she didn't contest to his action.

She turned her head and looked at him again. That same smile on her face, she asked, "And what do you think you're doing there, mister?"

He grinned wolfishly and stroked her leg softly with his thumb. She shifted a little, but didn't cower away from him.

"How'd you get here?" he asked.

"Two-Bit dropped me off," she said. "I told him I'd get a ride back."

"Why'd you come?" he asked. He tried to keep certain thoughts tethered.

"To see you," she said, tucking her hair behind her ear and then resting her hands on his. He could feel her fingers feeling his through the fabric of her skirt. "You're sick."

"I ain't sick," he stated.

She leaned forward and rested the back of her hand on his forehead.

"You've got a fever," she remarked. She was fawning over him like he was a baby and he pushed her hand away.

Sitting back upright, she sat there looking at him for a few seconds and then looked away. She started chewing on her bottom lip and judging from the look on her face, she was looking to get out of there.

"Hey," he called to her.

She looked back at him again. He reached up and grasped his St. Christopher medal in his fist and pulled her face close to his. Her hair fell back over her shoulder and brushed his cheek as it curtained around them. She was so close he could feel her breath on his face as her nose touched his. Glory but he never noticed how pretty her eyes were.

They were like that for a few heavy seconds before she asked in a sassy tone, "Are you going to kiss me, or what?"

"Or what?" he mimicked as he gripped her upper arms and in one fluid motion he pulled her off of him and had her lying beneath him. She giggled the whole way.

"What's got you in such a good mood? You were so damn pissy the other day," he said, thinking back to their unsuccessful date over the weekend.

She shrugged and said simply, "You."

That was a loaded statement and he knew it.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked.

"It means you put me in a good mood," she replied with a shrug.

Dallas breathed easily after she said that. He could almost hear what she was thinking, what she might have wanted to say, but suddenly he didn't think she would tell him that she loved him. That was damn fine by him, seeing as how he wasn't planning on replying with similar words. Those were three words he was certain she had heard as often as he had in his life, and that was next to never. The last time anyone directed those words to him was when Mrs. Curtis walked out of the house that last time, calling over her shoulder that she loved them all.

No, Ellie wouldn't say it because it hadn't been said to her enough. But still, she was a broad, and proving to be more so every day it seemed, and broads always said stupid shit like, "I love you." Even when they didn't mean it, and Dally knew that no girl ever did.

She reached up and tangled her hands in his hair.

"I thought all I did was piss you off," he said, finally.

"Not as well as I let on," she replied with a little laugh.

"Bullshit," he declared. She was too easy to piss off.

"You really don't," she replied. She was serious for a moment, before she said, "I don't regret it."

He knew what she was talking about immediately, and he was doubtful. "You don't?" He couldn't keep the surprise out of his voice.

She shook her head, and he could feel her hands trembling slightly in his hair. Sitting up on his knees, he took her hands and held them against the mattress beside her head.

"Sometimes I think too much and scare myself," she said quietly. Her fingers reached and interlaced with his.

"You spend way too much time with Ponyboy," he said, stroking her hand and lowering his face close to hers.

"I guess so," she said, thoughtfully. "I let her get to me."

"Who? Your mom?" he asked.

"Yeah," she replied. "I'm sorry I made you think that I regretted it."

He leaned down and kissed her lightly on the cheek. He could hear her breath quicken and he moved to her lips, kissing her sensually and taking her breath away completely.

After a couple of minutes, he pulled his face away and looked at her. She was out of breath, but there was a smile on her face.

"You don't have to get me drunk to have a good time," she said, sliding her hands out from under his.

"You sure?" he asked, but her hands had already circled around his neck and were pulling his face back toward hers.

"I'm sure," she said, her voice coming out in a breathy whisper.

_It's all so shallow  
And all so appealing.  
I'm up to my ankles,  
And drowning anyway._

* * *

_A/N: What? Two chapters in a week? You guys should all feel special. We did it for you._


	23. Argue

**Disclaimer: We do not own _The Outsiders _so give the praise to Susie Hinton for creation of these lovely characters. We also do not own Matchbox Twenty's "Argue." **

_

* * *

_

_She don't, but she will.  
__He says anything to keep her by him._

"Well, well. Ain't we nice and cozy on the couch?"

Ellie opened her eyes to the sound of Two-Bit's voice.

"How are we feeling this afternoon?" he asked.

Pulling the blanket tighter around herself, she pulled her head off of Dally's shoulder and looked around. He looked grumpy at being woken up and she was feeling a little of the same.

"I'm okay," she replied, tiredly. She saw Pony sitting in Darry's chair drinking a Pepsi and thumbing through a book. "Hey Pone."

He looked up and blushed at little.

"Hey, El," he replied.

"How long y'all been here?" she asked.

"Just a couple of minutes," Pony replied. "You guys feeling any better?"

"We're fine, quit fussin'," Dally said with a grimace.

Dally pulled his arm back from around her, rubbed his face and stood up. He wobbled on his feet with the quick movement and Two-Bit reached out a hand to steady him. Dally yanked his arm back and shoved Two-Bit away.

"Don't fucking touch me," he growled.

Two-Bit threw his arms into the air defensively and backed off.

"He's touchy when he's sick," he joked, winking in Ellie's direction.

"Go to hell, Two-Bit," he snapped, grabbing his coat and shrugging it on.

"Where are you going?" she asked, not making any motion to get up and join him.

"Out," he said, vaguely.

"Where's 'out?'" she asked.

She heard him curse her under his breath before he said, "Nowhere important. I'll see you later."

She thought maybe he wasn't that annoyed, but he slammed the door behind him, sending reverberations throughout the house.

Two-Bit let out a whistle and took Dally's empty seat on the couch beside Ellie.

"He's lots of fun when he's sick," he said.

"Only when you point out he's sick," she replied, stretching her feet out and resting them on the coffee table. "He's just a big baby."

Ponyboy pulled himself out of Darry's chair and sat to Ellie's left. He was still holding the book in his hand. Worming her arms out from under her blanket, she reached for it and he handed it over.

_To Kill A Mockingbird._ "Are we reading this in class?" she asked, the title and author were sitting heavy in her mind. She didn't mind reading, but when she was forced to read something she usually didn't get much out of it.

"Yeah. They just passed 'em out in English today. Mrs. Reed wouldn't let me take one for you because we ain't in the same class, but you can try and catch up with mine if you want," he explained. "It's pretty okay."

Ellie sighed and handed the book back to him.

"Can't wait," she said.

"Are you going to school tomorrow?" Pony asked.

With the blanket pulled back over her arms, she shrugged.

"I don't know," she said. Her head was starting to pound again, and her throat was still scratchy.

"You and Dallas must've had a lot of fun the other day," Two-Bit piped up, nudging her with his elbow.

Her cheeks started burning.

"What did you guys do?" Pony asked.

Her eyes locked on Two-Bit's, and they were both silent at the question. Where her cheeks had flushed and her mouth was left slightly agape, Two-Bit's lips twisted into a mischievous smile.

"Pony, do we need to have a talk?" Two-Bit asked. "Dally had a cold before Ellie. He gave it to her."

"How'd he do-" he stopped himself as he connected the pieces in his mind. "Oh."

Pony's face and ears turned bright red and, though Ellie was embarrassed as hell, she had to stifle a laugh.

"Ponyboy Curtis, I do believe you are blushing more than Ella over here," Two-Bit laughed good-naturedly.

"Stop it, Two-Bit," she said, her voice hushed.

Two-Bit watched Pony for another few seconds and then stood up.

"Well, you kids have fun, I'm gonna go find me an after-school snack," he said, shrugging his leather jacket on. "Which means I'm gonna go see what Kathy's up to this afternoon."

He was trying to embarrass them now, so Ellie tried to kick him. He jumped out of her reach and headed for the door.

"See y'all later!" he called over his shoulder as he walked outside.

The room was reduced to an uncomfortable silence, and Ellie was eager to break it.

"Pony, me and Dal-"

He cut her off.

"You don't have to tell me about it if you don't want to," he said, sheepishly. "It ain't any of my business."

Ellie bit her lip and tried to think of something to say to him. She never used to have any trouble talking to him, but she was starting to realize just how much things had changed.

"Are you going to school tomorrow?" he asked in a rush. "You haven't been all week."

"I was there on Monday," she contested.

"But you haven't been there since," he said.

"I'll see how I feel in the morning," she replied.

"Okay," he said, losing some of the hostility in his voice. He handed her the book and said, "We're supposed to read the first four chapters by Monday. You can use mine until you get your copy."

Ellie took it and set it in her lap.

"Thanks, Pony," she said. "Wanna watch some TV for a while?"

He stood up and grabbed the stack of books on the coffee table.

"Nah, I wanna get my homework done 'fore Darry gets home," he said. "Maybe later, though."

He walked into the kitchen and spread his stuff out onto the table, distancing himself as far from her as possible. Thoughtfully, Ellie thumbed through the book and thought about Ponyboy, realizing how little she'd seen of him lately. Whether that was her own fault for hanging around Dallas so much or Pony's own fault for avoiding her because of him, she wasn't sure. For the first time in her life, she was suddenly very aware of that two-year age difference between them. It had never felt like much before, but now it was gaping.

She could still hear the mild pleading in his tone, trying to get her to go back to school. She was sick, not on the verge of dropping out. Soda dropped out and Johnny did too after the teachers wanted to hold him back another year. She pushed it aside, knowing that he was just overly sensitive on the issue.

Settling back against the couch, Ellie opened the book and started reading. Five pages in, she had fallen completely asleep.

_She takes what she gets,  
__And she never did flinch._

By Friday morning, Ellie felt a million times better. Her sore throat was gone and the pounding in her head had subsided to a dull ache. Dally's mood had gotten better, though, that wasn't exactly saying much. By the late afternoon, she'd gained her appetite back.

"You ready or what?" he asked with a growl.

"Give me a minute," she snapped, picking up the other half of her bologna sandwich. "There ain't nothing to eat at Buck's."

"Takes you a damn eternity to eat a fuckin' sandwich," he pointed out. "And you won't even eat it all."

"I haven't eaten in five days 'cause of you. I'm starving," she said, chomping down on a corner of the bread.

He leaned back in the kitchen chair opposite her and lit up a cigarette.

"I bet I'll be finished with this 'fore you're done with that," he challenged.

Ellie ignored him and continued to eat her sandwich.

"As much as you two fight, it's amazing she got sick offa you," Soda pointed out, joining them at the table.

"Fuck you, Curtis," Dally retorted.

"You guys goin' to Buck's?" Soda asked, ignoring Dally's comment. He nudged Ellie. "Again?"

There was a note of suggestion in his tone that made Ellie look up at him. He cracked a grin the second she make eye contact with him.

"I won't tell Steve," he said, winking.

"Sure you won't," she replied. As much as she didn't want to include him in her business, she was beyond caring what he thought anymore. He hadn't been speaking to her so much lately, anyway.

"Let's go already," Dally exclaimed, leaning forward in his seat.

"I'm not finished," she said.

He ground his cigarette into the white bread and stood up.

"Dally!" she exclaimed.

"You're done now, ain't you? Let's go," he said, pulling her chair out and walking into the living room.

"Did you see that?" she asked, looking at Soda. He could barely contain his laughter.

"I think he's in a bit of a hurry," Soda pointed out. "You oughta go."

"He's such a prince," she muttered. "I guess I'll see you later, Soda."

"Have fun, you two," he called after her.

Dally was standing with one foot outside and the other in. He thrust her coat at her and walked outside.

"Prince Charming, indeed," she muttered, following him outside.

_If you want, you can get to know me,  
__We get along so we shouldn't argue._

"What's your hurry?" she asked, hurrying along beside him.

Dally slowed down a little to let her catch up, but pushed on toward the bus stop at Pickett and Sutton.

"The buses stop running soon and it's gonna be too fuckin' cold to walk clear to Buck's. I'm doin' you a favor," he added.

"There's still another three hours until the last bus runs that way," she pointed out.

He ignored her but reached out and took her hand as they walked. Her tiny hand wrapped around his, and he cursed under his breath. Her damn fingers were always ice cold.

"There's a poker tournament. Buck puts 'em on a few times a year when the rodeos ain't bringing in enough dough. Two-Bit plays in 'em with the guys he usually plays with," he told her. "We get there too late and the good booze'll be gone along with all the rooms. Buck doesn't give two shits if I leave any of my stuff there or not."

"Is that all that's on your mind?" she asked.

He grinned smugly at her flirty tone, happy she was finally playing along rather than shying away. He stopped at the bus stop and swung her around so she standing in front of him. Her cheeks were rosy from the brisk breeze they were walking against, and her hair tossed behind her shoulders. She was damn cute but nothing most guys would look twice at. Hell, he'd only noticed her because he'd known her for so long. He kind of liked the fact that no one else was putting any moves on her. That meant he didn't win her over another guy, but it also meant she wasn't looking either. Tim Shepard and Will Bridges were only trying to piss him off, not win her over.

"I got a lot of things on my mind," he said. He opened his mouth to tell her what they were, but the sound of a car engine revving caught his attention. He looked to his left, squinting at the bright headlights headed straight for them.

He cursed and grabbed Ellie by the arm, yanking her towards the building behind them as Tim Shepard hopped his Bel Air over the curb, going faster than most people would consider doing a stunt like that. Then again, most people didn't pull shit like that, and Shepard broke most of the fucking molds to begin with. The car came uncomfortably close before it swerved back onto the street and took off like the devil was after it.

"Fucking Shepard," he muttered.

"Is he crazy?" Ellie blasted. "Is this over that stupid scratch?"

Dally glared after the car, as the taillights dimmed in the dark evening. "Either that or me calling him Timmy the other night. Probably both."

He wasn't surprised, but he was pissed that Tim had pulled something that stupid with Ellie around.

"He's a fucking pansy. He didn't even come close," Dally said, looking her over for damage. She was fine, but now she was pissed off. "Don't take it so personal, El."

"Personal? He just tried to hit us with his damn car!" she exclaimed.

"I woulda done the same damn thing if I had a car," he said, digging change out of his pocket when he saw the bus round the corner.

"You two are so stupid," she muttered.

"He started it," Dally said, giving her a little shove toward the curb. "But don't you worry, Princess, I'll finish it."

_I know, but I still believe  
__In ignorance as my best defense._

The makeshift gravel parking lot outside of Buck's was already close to capacity, and the music was blasting when they got there. Holding the door open for her, they went inside and faced a mad house. It was still pretty early for a crowd like that to already be there.

Dally spied two open stools at the end of the bar and rushed to grab them before someone else beat him to it.

"Sit tight, I'll be right back," he said, speaking into her ear so she could hear. "Don't move."

"Okay," she replied, shrugging her coat off and setting it on the barstool beside her.

Dally glanced around for Buck but couldn't spot him anywhere. He asked the guy behind the bar who was already up to his elbows in orders and was told he was upstairs. Dally made a quick dash up the steps and ran into Buck in the middle of the hallway.

"You ain't thinking of giving up my room tonight, are you?" he asked, pulling his pack of cigarettes out of his pocket.

"You gonna pay for it tonight, Winston?" he asked.

Dally studied the look on Buck's face and the way his shoulders were squared, blocking the way so he couldn't get down the hall if he tried.

"Are you shittin' me?" he spat.

"I ain't booked up yet, but if I got a paying customer wanting a room, he's getting it unless you're gonna pay me up front for it," he said, crossing his arms over his chest.

"How 'bout I just stop riding for you? That'll set you back a pretty penny," Dally threatened.

Buck shifted his weight, and Dally clapped him on the back.

"That's what I thought, buddy," he said. "My girl is with me tonight, and I ain't in the mood to deal with her when she's pissed off."

"You better bring in a lot of cash next rodeo, Winston," he said, following him down the steps.

"I always do," he said with a grin. "We could use a couple of beers. I'll be at the end of the bar."

Buck glared at him but said nothing. Dally smugly made his way back to the bar.

Stealthily, he crept up behind Ellie and grabbed her around the waist.

"Miss me?" he mumbled in her ear.

She jumped under his arms, but relaxed against him.

"Where'd you run off to for so long?" she asked.

He nuzzled her neck and she giggled, bringing her shoulder to her cheek as the motion tickled her.

"I wasn't gone that long," he said, kissing her neck once more before he sat down on the stool beside her. Buck set two amber bottles on the bar in front of them with an angry plunk and walked away without a word.

"You were gone long enough," she said, picking up the bottle and taking a cautious sip. "I had to hold my own out here."

"From what?" he asked, gulping the contents of the bottle

"From who is more like it," she said.

"Who?" he pried, not amused with the guessing game.

"No one in particular. People just see an open chair and they want to sit in it," she answered quickly.

He tipped the bottle back and heard some of Shepard's boys mouthing off nearby. He turned and saw Rick Bradley and Curly Shepard shooting a game of pool with a few other boys.

"Did Curly come over here?" he asked, incredulously.

"Yeah, but he ain't no trouble," she said, grinning as she put the bottle back to her lips.

Dally turned back and the little Shepard was winking ridiculously in Ellie's direction. He'd forgotten that little fuck up had a thing for his girl.

"Shepard!" he called. Curly looked at him and Dally made a deliberate threat by balling his fist and punching it repeatedly into his palm. Curly's face turned serious, and he busied himself in the game of pool as Bradley laughed and punched him the shoulder.

He turned back, and Ellie was shaking her head, hiding a smile behind the beer bottle.

_So go on, wreck me.  
__Funny how I carry on and not be taken over._

The party had exploded despite the entire main floor being overtaken by card tables. People were dancing in every space they could manage to do so, but Dally and Ellie had stayed put where they were. He'd worked up a mighty fine buzz and was more than ready to head upstairs, but Two-Bit had made his way over and plopped down beside him.

"Out already?" Dally asked.

"Yeah, it was getting a little dull. There's too many people entered and it's takin' too long. Too serious about it, too," Two-Bit said.

"Did you at least win anything?" Ellie asked.

Two-Bit grinned. "I broke even with my entry fee and with a few of our side bets," he said. "More than I would have gotten if you were hustlin' me."

"What?" Dally asked. "When'd you ever hustle him?"

"Awhile ago," she huffed. "You just didn't stick around long enough to see it."

"I woulda beat you if I'd stayed," he said. "You can't hustle me."

"Wanna bet?" she asked.

"Ain't got no cards," Dally smirked. "What else you got, Dollface?"

"Two-Bit, you got cards don't you?" she asked.

Dally watched him dig through his pockets coming up with a pack of playing cards as a beer bottle crashed on the floor near them. Turning to find the origin, Dally suddenly sobered up when he saw Ellie wasn't sitting beside him but fighting off some grabby guy's grip on her arm.

"What the fuck?" Dally muttered, on his feet in a matter of seconds and sucker punching the guy in the ribs. Two-Bit was backing him up.

The punch didn't do shit and the guy whipped around, his grip still on Ellie's arm. Dally was surprised to see it was her piece of shit stepdad.

"This the guy you're fucking?" Jimmy asked, giving Ellie a good shake.

She winced under his grip and tried to pry his fingers loose, but he held on.

"Hey man, leave her alone," Two-Bit warned.

"What the fuck are you going to do about it? She's half mine and I'll do what I want," he said, giving her a sharp slap to the face.

That did it. Dally lunged at him and knocked him backward, taking Ellie with them.

'_Cause anyone  
__Would stand up on my side._

Someone was pulling her away from the brawl and helping her to her feet.

"You okay?" Two-Bit asked, steadying her.

She nodded and watched Dally try to pummel Jimmy. Jimmy was no slouch of a fighter and he was giving Dally a rough time of it. They made it back to their feet and circled each other, swinging haphazard punches and trying to knock the other back down.

Ellie wanted to be sick.

Jimmy swung a good one that sent Dally flying into the bar. Two-Bit pushed her further back and jumped in to back up his buddy. Dally wrestled his way from the bar with Two-Bit's help and shoved Jimmy backward, right into Tim Shepard's waiting arms. He trapped Jimmy's arms to his side and held him at the ready.

She dashed up to them.

"You ain't gonna come in here and start smacking girls around, you hear?" Tim said.

Jimmy was trying to fight loose, but instead crumbled to the ground when Dally punched him in the face and Tim let go. He kicked him in the gut a couple of times and was about to again when she grabbed his arm and yanked him back.

"Stop it!" she pleaded.

He whirled around and stared at her, his icy eyes burning into hers.

"What?" he snapped. "Are you fucking kidding me?"

She cowered back a step and looked around. Everyone was watching this unfurl. With tears burning in her eyes, she watched as Tim stepped away from Jimmy and some girl in a short skirt helped pick Jimmy off of the floor.

"You little bitch," Jimmy said, pointing at her. "When I get a hold of you …"

Tim swung a punch this time and knocked Jimmy into the jukebox.

She couldn't force the tears back anymore and bolted out of the front door, hearing Dally's string of curses following her.

_You know it's funny how sometimes_  
_It don't work out like you want to._

"Do you know how embarrassing that was?" Ellie asked, her arms crossed tightly in front of her. She was taking deep breaths, but it didn't seem to help her much.

"Who gives a shit?" Dally groaned. "Most everybody in there's drunk. Who cares?"

"Why'd you do that?" she demanded.

"Why'd I fucking knock him over so he'd back off of you?" Dally shouted.

"Why'd you have to keep doing it?" she asked, turning away from him slightly. He didn't miss the tears she hurriedly wiped from her cheeks.

"He hit you. What the hell was I supposed to do?" he asked.

"You didn't have to break his nose, Dal," she said. "You don't gotta put up with his shit like I do."

Gravel crunched and Two-Bit appeared, holding Ellie's coat out to her.

"You forgot this, kid," he said, sheepishly.

She took it and pulled it on, hugging herself and looking hard at the ground.

"Shit," Dally grumbled. He punched the car beside him, his busted knuckles screaming in opposition.

"Dal." Two-Bit nodded him over, handing him his car keys. "Get her out of here. I'll bum a ride back later."

Dally took the keys and looked back at her. She had her palms pressed against her cheeks and had her eyes closed as she tried to calm herself down.

"Fine," he said.

_I guess something just got lost  
__And it deeply saddens me._

She was silent, save for a sniffle every now and then, and it was enough to irritate him. What did she expect him to do? Just let that bastard knock her around while he watched?

He parked Two-Bit's clunker at the end of a long string of cars up at the Row, a popular late nightspot for teenagers with a car and a date.

"I'm sorry," she said.

He stuck a cigarette behind his ear and stared out the windshield at nothing.

"Is he like that all the time?" he asked.

She shrugged.

"He yells a lot," she said, indifferently.

"Has he hit you before?" he asked, his patience wearing thin.

She rubbed her cheek gingerly.

"No, that was a first," she said, looking up at him. "I wonder what he was doing there."

She was trying to sway the subject.

"Probably playing poker," he said, studying her face. Even in the dim light he could see her cheek was still red from it. The way she kept her hand rested on her arm, he would've bet his room at Buck's, there was a bruise forming from where Jimmy yanked her out of her seat.

"If it were some random guy messing with me, I wouldn't care if you beat him to death, Dally, but not Jimmy," she said. "I gotta go home and put up with it."

Dally chewed on that for a second, an obvious contradiction coming to mind.

"What about Holden?" he asked sourly. "You wouldn't let me do shit about him, and he don't live with you."

Her eyes widened quickly before she looked down at her hands in her lap. She wasn't being straight with him about something.

"You gonna answer me? What about Holden?" he repeated.

"He doesn't mess with me anymore," she said quickly.

"First off, that's bullshit," Dally said. "And second, why in the hell did he fucking touch you in the first place?"

She opened her mouth to say something, but nothing followed. Finally, she said, "I don't know."

"Socs don't beat up girls in this town, Ellie. Greaser or not, it don't fucking happen. You must've pissed him off or something," he said, putting his cigarette between his lips. He struck a match across the dash and took a long drag.

"Why's it gotta be something I did?" she asked.

He rubbed his eyes and cursed.

"Forget it," he said sharply, flicking the radio on. He wanted to just drive somewhere and drop her off, but there weren't many options of where to go.

He was surprised when she reached across the seat and took his hand. He flinched when she grazed his busted knuckles with her fingers.

"I'm sorry about all of this," she said again.

"You're always sorry about something," he stated.

She dropped his hand and folded her own in her lap.

"Will you just take me-"

"Where?" he asked, cutting her off. "Home? Buck's? Where does Miss Priss wanna go now?"

"Pony's," she said, so quietly he could barely hear her over the radio. That pissed him off too, and she wasn't even fighting back.

"Gladly," he muttered, shifting Two-Bit's junker in reverse and pulling out of the Row.

_And I don't know, said I don't know,  
__All these feelings crowd up my reasoning._

* * *

_A/N: Wow, it's been awhile. Between the two of us, we wrote somewhere around 12,000 words on papers for school. No fears, break is coming up and we should have the time for more exciting writing prompts. _


	24. Bad Moon Rising

**Disclaimer: We wish we could say we owned these boys, but they belong solely to Susie Hinton. We thank her dearly for letting them come out and play in our world every now and then.**

**'Bad Moon Rising' is also not ours. That belongs to Creedence Clearwater Revival.**

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_I see the bad moon arising,  
I see trouble on the way._

Ellie stood with her hand on the doorknob, deciding whether or not she should go inside. She could hear the television blaring in the living room, but she turned around and sat on the porch step. Propping her elbows on her knees, she buried her face in her hands. If it wasn't one thing, it was another. And now this other problem was Jimmy. She touched her cheek; it felt like it was on fire faced with the cold air.

Gently rubbing her cheek, she tried to decide what she was going to do. She couldn't avoid going home forever, and she certainly couldn't stay at Pony's forever either. She took another deep breath and sighed. At least things at school had died down. She only occasionally was tripped in the hallway instead of everyday.

She raised her head when she heard a car pull up to the curb. She was disappointed to see Steve and Soda climbing out of the car when had hoped it was Dally; she wasn't sure where he sped off to in such a hurry. She had an awful good idea of where he was heading, and it made her feel sick to her stomach.

"Hey, Ellie," Soda asked as he climbed the porch steps. "What are you doing out here?"

She shrugged, still looking out at the street. If Dally was doing what she thought he was doing …

"Are you crying?" Steve asked incredulously.

Ellie sniffed back her tears and kept her eyes on the street. "No."

"What'd Dally do this time?" he asked, sitting beside her on the steps while Soda fell onto the bench behind them.

"It's not all him," she said, cleaning her face of any tears with her coat sleeves.

"You sure about that?" Steve asked.

She gave him a sideways glance and was surprised to not find an I-told-you-so grin on his face.

"What'd he do?" he asked.

"You guys seemed okay before you left earlier," Soda cut in.

Ellie laughed quietly before she turned to face him. "Was that before or after he put his cigarette out in my sandwich?"

Soda conceded with a shrug. "Well, he seemed like his old self anyway. What happened at Buck's?"

Steve cursed under his breath.

"Buck's?" he asked. "Doesn't he ever take you anywhere else?"

"Yes," she snapped, annoyed with his constant nagging.

"What happened?" Soda asked again.

"Nothing good, that's for sure," she answered, leaning her head against the railing. She considered not telling them what happened, but that would surely only make it worse when Two-Bit or Dally spilled the beans.

"Jimmy was there, and him and Dally got into it," she said.

Steve raised his eyebrows. "Jimmy … as in your stepdad, Jimmy?"

"The one and only," she said tiredly.

"What was he doing there?" Soda asked.

She shrugged. "Playing poker, I guess. Had some girl in a short skirt right there next to him, too, but I didn't have time to ask him about that between Dally and Tim breaking his nose."

Soda let out a low whistle while Steve tried to hold back laughter.

"It's not funny," she said flatly.

"But Tim was in on it?" Steve asked. "Word is that Shepard has it out for Dally. Something about a car."

"Yeah, he does have it out for him. He even tried to hit us with his car earlier," Ellie confirmed. "Guess he'll do anything for a fight, even if it isn't with Dally."

"Where's Dally now?"

"I was hardly out of the car before he took off down the road," she told Steve. "I have a pretty good idea of where he went, but I hope I'm wrong."

"I'd say you're right, kid," Steve said. "You've had a long night, huh?"

"Guess so," she muttered, rubbing her eyes which were beginning to sting with tears again.

"Why don't you head inside, Ellie?" Soda suggested. "Pony said him and Johnny were just gonna watch TV tonight. That'll take your mind off of Dally." He stood up, and Steve gave Ellie a hand up from the step.

"And don't worry about staying the night," Soda assured her. "You know there's room."

"What are you guys doing?" she asked, skeptically. Steve was pushing her toward the door and she planted her feet on the porch.

"Just going for a drive," Steve said.

"Where?" she asked, grabbing the doorframe as they tried to push her inside.

"Don't worry about it," Soda said. "Just go inside."

"Guys," she protested, but Steve pushed her inside and grabbed the doorknob and slammed the door behind him. She listened to them bound off of the porch and get into the car. The engine revved and took off down St. Louis Street.

_Not again_, she groaned to herself, turning to face a confused Ponyboy and Johnny.

"Don't ask," she pleaded. "It's bad enough."

_I see earthquakes and lightning,  
__I see bad times for today._

Dally had been sitting in Two-Bit's car, punching the steering wheel until he couldn't feel his knuckles anymore. It wasn't putting up much of a fight; and that wasn't much fun. He climbed out of the car, slamming the door behind him much harder than necessary.

Stalking through the doorway, his eyes swept across all of the assholes playing poker in Buck's bar. He didn't see Jimmy, but he was certainly going to find him.

"Hey, Dal!"

He glanced at the bar, where Two-Bit was hurriedly climbing down from a stool.

"Hey, man," Two-Bit said, as he shoved past the thick crowd of people. "What're you doing back here?"

Dally held up the car keys, but he was still scanning the crowd for a certain face. "Had to get your car back to you, right?"

"Dal, I know what you're thinking of doing, but you better think a little harder," Two-Bit warned. "He's back there with some pretty broad, playin' nurse. You and Tim did enough."

Dally ignored his comments. He locked eyes with Tim, who nodded towards the back room of Buck's where the pool table was.

Two-Bit sighed. He must have spotted Tim at the same time Dally did. "C'mon, buddy, just leave it alone."

Dally chuckled, plucking a cigarette from his pack and sticking it between his lips. "After the shit he pulled tonight? Not a chance."

He pushed past Two-Bit, who struggled to keep up with his long strides through the large group of people. He grabbed at his jacket, but Dally shrugged him off.

"She's the one that's gotta live with this, you know?" Two-Bit said.

Dally spun around on his heel to face him. "Listen, Ellie's already tried to give me an earful about this, and I'm sick of it. I ain't asking you to help me, and if you want this asshole to go around hitting her, then that's your deal."

Two-Bit scowled at the suggestion that he didn't care. "You know that ain't it."

Dally shrugged as Tim made his way over.

Clapping him on the back, Tim gestured to the back room. "That asshole's in there, if you're interested."

"You bet I am."

"Hey," Tim added with a smirk, "you were pretty quick on your feet earlier."

"When you tried to hit me and Ellie?" Dally asked, less than amused by his comment. "A car jumping a curb does that to people."

Tim just shrugged. "You need any help back there, just holler."

"I got it handled, Shepard."

"If you think so. You sure needed help earlier," he replied over the music as he walked back to his table.

"Asshole," Dally muttered under his breath.

"Why'd he try to hit you with his car?" Two-Bit asked.

"Long story," Dally said. "Are you gonna help me back there or not?"

Two-Bit shook his head slowly. "This is yours, Dal. Ellie ain't gonna be none too happy about it and I'm not itching to get on her bad side."

"I don't fucking care what Ellie has to say about this," he hissed. "She don't know what's good for her."

"I think she knows better than you think she does," Two-Bit offered. "She's been through this before and she got the shit end of the stick. She ain't stupid."

Dally took a long drag on his cigarette and dropped the butt to the floor. Stubbing it out with his boot he thought about that. He was living in New York when it all happened, but he knew that she'd been through a social service nightmare because of one of her mom's boyfriends. Dally never met him, but as much as he'd heard about what happened, the guy was a real piece of work.

"Listen, pal," Dally growled, grabbing a fistful of Two-Bit's collar and ignoring what he knew. "I'm sick of her telling me who I can't go after. I'll take care of this if I damn well please. I gotta hit somebody, and I can't hit her. Probably shouldn't hit you either, but don't put it past me."

Two-Bit held his hands up in innocence. "I'm not the one you're picking a fight with, remember?"

Dally released his shirt, and Two-Bit faltered slightly. "I've got your back, Dally," he finally agreed. "Only if you need it."

Dally nodded his thanks before he turned in the direction of Ellie's stepdad. Instead of getting very far, someone else stepped in his path. He let out a frustrated groan.

"What do you want?" he asked, looking down at a green eyed blonde.

Sylvia shrugged, feigning innocence. "I heard I missed some action earlier tonight.

"I'm sure you've gotten your fair share of action tonight, right, Sylvia?" Two-Bit asked with a grin.

She ignored him with the exception of an upraised middle finger and turned her attention back to Dally. "Where's your little girlfriend? A little too rough here for her?"

Dally leaned closer to her. "Get lost, Sylvia," he told her above the noise.

She gave a breathy laugh against his cheek. "Oh, but I like it rough, Dal. I bet she doesn't."

"Everybody here knows how you like it, baby," Two-Bit said, leaning close to her as Dally stepped around her. "But d'you want me to get us a room, and you can show me a thing or two?"

Even Dally had to crack a smile at Two-Bit wagging his eyebrows up and down at a disgusted Sylvia before he continued on his hunt for Jimmy.

_Hope you got your things together;  
__Hope you are quite prepared to die._

"Where do you think he is?" Soda asked as they stepped into the sea of people that filled Buck's place from wall to wall.

There was a sudden commotion in the room adjacent to the bar, and people began yelling.

"I'd say he's wherever the trouble is," Steve said, leading the way through the crowd.

Steve took off for the back of the roadhouse and wasn't too surprised to find Dally in the middle of a brawl with Ellie's stepdad.

"Shit," he muttered, glancing at Soda.

"After you," he said, ushering Steve ahead.

Steve watched the fight, itching to dive in and land punches in Jimmy's face. Ellie didn't always head over to stay on Soda's couch when she was afraid to go home. She'd stayed plenty of nights on his bedroom floor just like he'd stayed nights on hers before Jimmy came around.

She didn't want Dally doing what he was doing right then, and Steve wasn't going to let him keep doing it. The last thing he needed was for Ellie to come running to him in tears like she had a long time ago. She had put it behind her, and he wasn't itching for everything to bob back to the surface again.

He pushed his way through the ring of people and grabbed Dally's arm. With all of his might, he yanked him away from the fight and pushed him back into the crowd.

"Steve?" he gasped in surprise, squaring his shoulders. "The fuck are you doing?"

Steve didn't back off; he wasn't afraid to get into a fight with Dally. Buddies or not, it didn't matter to him at the moment.

"Lay off," he said, balling his fists at his sides.

"You defending him, Randle?"

"Guys, maybe we oughta go outside," Soda piped up, standing between them. Two-Bit stepped in as well.

"Maybe I don't wanna go outside. Maybe I wanna finish this right here, right now," Dally said with a growl. He cracked his knuckles.

Steve glared evenly at him. He didn't care if Dally hit him because he wanted nothing more in the world than to hit him back right then.

"You can finish it outside," Two-Bit said, giving Dally a shove.

As the others turned for the door to the main room at Buck's, Steve knocked shoulders with Jimmy, making him sway off balance for a few seconds. He was a genuine asshole, just like his own father.

"Look at all her boyfriends. She's just like her momma," Jimmy sniggered, wiping the blood that was still pouring from his nose on his jeans.

Dally heard the comment and whirled around, but Steve was closer. He landed a hard punch to Jimmy's already busted face. The man fell like a ton of bricks, and Steve was satisfied. For the most part.

_Don't go around tonight,  
__It's bound to take your life.  
__There's a bad moon on the rise._

Gravel crunched under their shoes, and no one said a word until the four of them reached Steve's car at the end of the makeshift parking lot. Dally squared his shoulders once more and glared at Steve.

"What the fuck is your problem, Randle? You can hit that bastard but I can't?" he asked.

He stepped forward.

"That's exactly it," Steve replied, standing his ground.

Dally took another step forward and shoved him. He stumbled back a few steps but kept his balance.

"Guys," Soda said, trying to break the tension.

"Don't bother," Two-Bit said to him. "They've been itchin' for this fight for awhile."

"She told you to not mess with him," Steve said, his voice serious and ignoring the other two.

"I watched that asshole hit her in front of everyone. What the hell was I supposed to do? Let him beat the hell out of her right in the middle of Buck's? She's already had the shit beat out of her once, why not again?" he asked, shoving him.

Steve shoved back this time, and Dally tried to hit him. He dodged the fist and sucker punched him in the gut. Dally groaned and then took advantage of his position to tackle Steve.

"How long are we going to let them try and kill each other?" Soda asked, watching the fight with disdain. Fights were okay between them as long as they were for fun or just to show off. Steve and Dally weren't having fun, and they sure weren't showing off for anybody.

Soda glanced at the door to Buck's, surprised there wasn't a crowd watching. He supposed it was too late and too cold. Besides, everybody inside had already seen two fights. They had to draw the line somewhere.

"As long as it takes, I guess," Two-Bit replied, not in a hurry to pull the guys apart.

Soda leaned on the car behind him and crossed his arms. "As stubborn as these two are, we're gonna be stuck out here all night long."

Two-Bit sighed before he agreed. "Yeah, I s'pose so."

The two young men were rolling around in the gravel, getting in punches here and there but mostly just yelling incomprehensible threats.

Waiting for the opportune moment, Two-Bit and Soda finally pulled the boys away from each other with some difficulty. For a fight that wasn't going anywhere, they were both putting forth a lot of effort.

Two-Bit gave Dally a shove towards the other side of the parking lot where his car had been left. He declared, "Y'know, as much fun as this cockfight was for you two, it's fucking cold out here. So either kill each other or let's get outta here."

"If that asshole woulda just let me take care of that bastard inside," Dally started but Steve cut him off.

"Hey, I'm not the only asshole here," Steve replied as Soda followed him to his own car.

Opening the driver's door, Two-Bit said to Soda, "At least they know they're assholes."

"Fuck you, Two-Bit," Steve muttered as he climbed into the driver's seat.

_I hear hurricanes a-blowing,  
__I know the end is coming soon._

"You shoulda let me smash his face in," Dally complained from the passenger seat.

"Whose?" Two-Bit asked, less than amused as he followed Steve's car out of Buck's parking lot. "Steve's or Jimmy's?"

"What's your problem?" he asked, getting more and more pissed off by the minute.

Two-Bit shrugged, digging his cigarettes out of his pocket and lighting one. "You're my problem, I guess."

"Listen, Two-Bit," Dally growled.

"No, you listen, Dal," Two-Bit said, his impatience getting the best of him. "You know you're just gonna fuck everything up with Ellie, don't you? And not just shit between the two of you, but stuff for her at home."

"Here we go," Dally muttered, leaning further back in his seat.

"Yeah, that's right, 'here we go,'" Two-Bit mocked. "Ellie don't need any of this shit right now, you know? And you seem to be itching to make her life hell by picking fights with her stepdad. I don't got a problem, Dally. You've got a problem."

"Fuck off, man," he responded.

Two-Bit shook his head. "I was even going to help you out if you needed it. Can you believe that? I was going to help you fuck up her stepdad. That's crazy, Dal. Who knows what that guy's going to do the next time he sees her."

"Maybe if Steve woulda let me finish what I was doin', nobody would have to worry about that," Dally argued, unwilling to give up the fight.

Two-Bit was as stubborn as Dally was, and he wasn't ready to concede. "Steve _did_ finish what you were doing, so it doesn't matter, does it?"

Dally was silent for a moment.

"Where am I taking you, Dal?" Two-Bit asked.

"Just follow Steve to Soda's." He seemed to notice Two-Bit's trepidation because he added, "Relax, I ain't fighting Steve."

Two-Bit rolled down his window a crack and tossed out the cigarette. He chewed on his thumbnail for a moment before he glanced back over at Dally. "I swear, Dally, if you screw stuff up anymore than you have, I'll fight you myself. She don't need anymore trouble from anybody, and you sure don't need to be picking fights with Steve."

"Cool it, Two-Bit," Dally replied. "I ain't screwing anything up. And Steve deserved what he got."

"That ain't no reason to pick fights with your friends," he said quietly. He wasn't sure if Dally heard him, but he didn't care either way anymore.

_I fear rivers overflowing,  
__I hear the voice of rage and ruin._

She knew he'd come by at some point and because she was certain, she hadn't been able to sleep. She pretended she was, though, when Soda walked in the house. He said her name, but she didn't respond from beneath the blanket on the couch. He wasn't the one she wanted to talk to. He finally seemed content with her silence and walked back to his bedroom.

She heard the loud steps climb up the porch steps and near the front door. Then she heard them turn away from the door, and she held her breath. The pacing continued for a good five minutes or so, and the steps decidedly belonged to Dallas. The clunk-step of a cowboy boot gave him away from the beginning.

Wrapping the afghan around her shoulders, Ellie walked outside.

"Hey," she said, nervous when he stopped so suddenly and stared at her.

"Hey," he replied flatly.

He just stood there, looking her up and down with his piercing eyes. He was making her nervous so she walked past him and sat on the top step.

"You went back, didn't you?" she asked, not turning around to look at him.

"So what if I did?" he asked, his tone clipped.

"I don't know," she replied, pulling the afghan tighter around herself. It was so damn cold.

She glanced back at him, seeing him and all of the rage he didn't expend. He always looked angry, but right then he looked ten times that.

"What the fuck did you expect me to do? Huh? I broke his damn nose so he wouldn't break yours," he said.

"I know you did, but Dally-"

"Save it, Princess," he said.

Ellie looked straight ahead, feeling overwhelmed by everything.

The entire time she sat in the living room with Pony and Johnny, she was thinking about other things. The boys finally stopped trying to include her in their conversation because she wasn't paying attention. All she could think of was what had happened with one of her mom's boyfriends all those years ago.

His name was Pete and he had a hot temper that her mother got the blunt end of. Ellie had called the police once when things got really bad and everything had gone to hell after that while her mother recovered. She didn't have any family to turn to so social services had taken over. Ellie couldn't remember a time in her life that she was so scared, until Dally decided to pick a fight with Jimmy. It wasn't the same situation, but it was bad enough to make her worry. Maybe it was even worse than calling the cops on somebody. Jimmy already thought she was an inconvenience and he let her know it.

She buried her head in her hands. She didn't know what to do about anything anymore.

"You know, I just don't understand you sometimes," Dally said, sitting down beside her.

"Most of the time," he amended. "It's like you like getting the shit knocked out of you."

"Well, you sure do," she said, quietly.

"Shit, Ellie," he groaned. "Goddamn smartass."

"Sorry," she muttered. She dropped her hands to her lap. "How come I'm always the one saying that?"

"'Cause you've always got something to be sorry about," he replied, tapping a cigarette on the back of his hand before putting it to his lips. He was looking right at her again, and it gave her chills. "Take after me, kid. I ain't sorry about nothing."

"I think you oughta be sorry," she said, daring to own up to how she felt.

He said nothing as he lit up his cigarette.

"Are you going to be sorry if he hits me again?" she asked.

"I'll fucking break the rest of his face," he replied.

"What about Johnny?"

"What do you mean what about Johnny?"

"How come you don't get all up in arms about his dad? I get slapped once and he gets it all the time and worse than anyone," she said. "Is it just 'cause I'm a girl and you think I can't handle it?"

"It's because I fucking watched him hit you, Ellie. If it'd been Johnny or Pony or hell, even Steve's dad knocking the shit out of him, I would've broken that asshole's nose, too," he said.

She leaned her head against his shoulder and relaxed when he didn't immediately shrug her away.

She breathed out, watching her breath cloud and wishing he'd put his arm around her. He was only the gentleman type when he didn't realize he was being a gentleman, but she adored him anyway. Sometimes, she wasn't sure why. This was one of those times.

"It don't matter. I got to hit him and Steve did, too," he bragged.

She knew he was just rubbing it in, trying to make her mad only because he knew he could. She bit her tongue and buried her face into the crook of his arm. He still didn't shoo her away. After a couple of minutes he slid an arm around her shoulders and pulled her against him.

"Wanna go back? I bet I've still got my room," he asked.

There was still hostility in his tone, but there was something warmer in it, too. It didn't make her want to go back, though.

"No," she said simply.

"He ain't there anymore and most likely won't be back if he wants to chew food ever again," he said with a sneer.

She shook her head against his arm.

"I ain't going back, Dal," she stated. "That's all there is to it."

He said nothing, and she pulled her head away from him. They sat in silence, side by side.

_Looks like we're in for nasty weather;  
One eye is taken for an eye.__

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A/N: Thanks for sticking around for our sporadic updates, guys. This past quarter at school was insanity, to say the least. We're hoping our winter vacation provides us with enough of a break that we can fully focus of the gang again. Darn classes! They just get in the way. : ) 


	25. Running Away

**As we all know, these boys do not belong to any of us fangirls/boys, but rather to Susie Hinton who doesn't seem to mind too much if we play around with them. Thank you so much Susie. Hoobastank was also cool enough to come up with a fitting song. "Running Away" belongs to them. **

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I don't want you to give it all up,  
__And I don't want you to feel sorry for me._

"Are you going home?" Pony asked.

"I'm thinking about it," she said, not moving from the edge of Darry's favorite chair.

She was staring blankly through the screen door, chewing on a fingernail, her coat resting on her lap. She stayed on their couch the last two nights and now Sunday morning was ticking away into Sunday afternoon, and she was still working up the courage to go home.

"Want someone to go with you?" he offered. "I'll go but maybe it'd be better if Steve or somebody went with you."

Snapping out of her trance, she turned and looked at him. She looked worried and he wished there was something he could do to help, but he was barely able to get the story out of her at all.

"No, that's not a good idea after what happened Friday night," she said, working her shoes on. "I'll go. I've got to go back sometime. They should both be working … hopefully."

"Darry'll be back from the store soon. He can drive you over," he offered. He really didn't want her to go over there alone, but he was under strict orders from Darry to not visit her house until things blew over. He didn't think she should be going over either.

"Don't worry about it. If he's there, I'll come back," she said, finally standing and pulling her coat on. Pushing the screen door open, she gave him a weak smile. "I'll be back in a little bit."

"Be careful, El," he said, standing and following her out to the porch.

Pushing the gate open, she turned back and nodded before heading across the street. Leaning against the post, Pony watched her head toward home. He knew she was upset and maybe even a little scared, but she wasn't talking to him- not that was a new development. Ever since she got jumped she'd been tight lipped. For a while, he thought it was just because of the person that jumped her and she didn't want anyone to know. But now there was something different. Whether it was just her that changed or if it was both of them, he wasn't sure. He just missed his friend.

"Hey Pony. Whatcha doin'?"

Pony looked down and saw Johnny coming through the gate Ellie just walked out of.

"Nothin'. Ellie just left for home," he told him, sitting on the top step.

"She okay?" he asked, sitting beside him.

"I don't know. She ain't really talking to anyone about anything," Pony replied, picking at his worn tennis shoes.

"Dally been around?" Johnny asked.

"No," he said.

"I'm sure he'll show up. He ain't one to let her down," he said.

Pony scoffed. "He sure seems to like making her mad. She said that she told him to not go back and mess with Jimmy, but he did anyway. I don't know why she's going out with him."

"I don't know, Pone. He's got a short fuse sometimes. That's why he went back. He just doesn't want to see her hurt, is all," Johnny said, defending their absent friend.

"If he doesn't wanna see her hurt, why's he going after her stepdad like he ain't gonna take it out on her?"

Johnny shrugged. "He's just stubborn. He don't like to be told what to do."

"I'll say," Pony replied.

_And I don't need you to be by my side,  
__To tell me that everything's alright._

Jimmy's truck wasn't in the driveway and when she went inside there was no sign of either one of them. It was the first time she'd felt relieved in a couple of days. Daring to act on that relief, Ellie decided to take a quick shower and change out of the clothes she'd been wearing since Friday night.

With her wet hair braided, Ellie headed for the kitchen after her shower. Opening a cupboard, she frowned at the lack of food it contained. She assumed the fridge had as little and gave up. She hated mooching off of Darry when she knew he was already struggling to make ends meet as it was. There was nothing in her house she could offer, so she made a mental note to grab a few things the next time she worked. It was the best she could do for them letting her use the couch.

The front door creaked as it opened and Ellie held her breath. The sound of a flirty giggle surprised her more than that, though. The sight of Jimmy was enough to make her run for the hills right then, but it was the young lady on his arm that kept her frozen in place. That woman certainly wasn't her mother.

He had a hand firmly placed in the back pocket of her jeans and was whispering something into her ear, causing her to giggle and turn bright red. Her giggles stopped suddenly when she looked up and locked eyes with Ellie.

"Jimmy, who's that?" she asked, stopping just shy of turning down the hallway.

Ellie's stomach flipped and she thought about making a quick dash down the hallway, but she thought better of it. Jimmy was staring at her with a stony glare, his face puffy and bruised from just a few nights before.

"It ain't nothin'. Head on down the hall, I'll be right there," he told the girl, giving her a pat on the rear as she turned down the hallway.

The kitchen was small and Jimmy walked in, his steps falling heavy as he closed the distance.

Gripping the countertop behind her, Ellie asked quietly, "Who's she?"

"She ain't none of your business," he said. "And if you know what's good for you, you'll keep your mouth shut around your momma."

Ellie was silent for a moment, not willing to make a promise like that just yet.

"I'll make you a deal. I won't tell you mom that you're out fucking that guy if you keep my little secret," he offered, letting go of her arm.

Backing away as far as she could in the confines of the kitchen, Ellie stared at him in disbelief.

"You're married," she said simply, her voice small and confused.

"Just keep your damn mouth shut. You ain't gonna like it if I find out you said something to her," he threatened. He turned to leave and then turned back just as quick, pushing her back into the counter and grabbing her by the upper arms. "And if any of your fucking boyfriends tries to take a swing at me again or if you get yourself knocked up, you're out of this house. I'll kick you out on your ass so fast you won't know what happened. And stay the hell out of Buck Merril's place. If I catch you there again, I swear to God, Ellie … "

He let go again and backed away. He put a finger to his lips and walked down the hallway. The bedroom door opened and shut softly, and Ellie stood dumbstruck in the kitchen.

Jimmy was easily the fourth or fifth man her mother allowed to move into her house, and he was the first and only to offer a marriage proposal. Ellie remembered how she'd jumped at the chance to get married and now, barely a year into it, it was falling apart, only, Abby didn't have a clue. Ellie wanted nothing more in the world than to get Jimmy out of the house, but she was afraid that her mom wouldn't do anything about his little get-together with another woman. She never did anything but bow to his wishes and all because she wanted to be married so terribly.

With a heavy sigh, she left. She didn't want to hear anything that was about to go on, and she didn't want to think about it.

_And when I get close you turn away,  
__There is nothing I can do or say._

"Dally," Sylvia was whispering sweetly into his ear. "Let's go upstairs."

He tipped the bottle back and let her hang on him, begging him to take her upstairs. Ellie certainly wasn't. She wouldn't even come. All she did was put her damn foot down and give him a look as though she thought he would actually stay over at Pony's and watch TV. Miss Priss had another thing coming.

Sylvia's hand was resting comfortably on his thigh. Every few seconds she'd claw him with her perfectly manicured nails. She was teasing him, and he was damned because it was working.

"Come on, Dal. She ain't here," she whispered in his ear, her tongue lighting flicking his earlobe. "I ain't gonna tell her."

Sylvia was right about one thing. Ellie sure as hell wasn't there. He was lucky to even get her to go to Jay's with him earlier that day.

_"Come on, El. He ain't gonna be there again. It'll be fine," Dally told her. "He ain't gonna mess with you."_

_She set her Pepsi bottle on the table and stared at him with big, serious eyes. _

"_No, Dally. I told Pony and Johnny I'd stay home and hang out with them. You can come, too," she said, playing with the straw in the bottle._

_He sat back and balled his fists on the table. _

"_Not gonna happen, Princess. I'm going to Buck's even if you're not," he said, grabbing his coat and standing up. He shoved the table, harder than he meant to, shifting the baskets of half eaten food and nearly knocking her Pepsi into her lap. _

_She stared at the bottle and said in a voice that got lost over the noise of Jay's, "I'm not going back. I told you that."_

Ellie didn't know what she was missing. She'd been a damn tease since day one and now he was sitting at Buck's alone, drinking beer after beer with some first class broad groping his leg.

"You still have your room, don't you?" she asked.

"Who the fuck else would have it?" he snapped, grabbing her wrist but not removing it from his thigh.

"I bet you miss playin' it rough, don't you, Dal? I bet she ain't one to play the games you like," she sassed. "But I've always liked 'em."

She twisted her wrist free from his grasp and slid her hand further up his leg, her fingers drumming lightly, playing with the fly on his jeans.

He could feel a light sweat break out on his brow and he signaled for Buck.

"Another shot of vodka," he ordered. She made a low grab and he nearly yelped, "Give me another beer, too."

Taking the shot from him, Dally gulped the clear liquid and finally looked at Sylvia. She was damn gorgeous and he was damn horny and Ellie wasn't there. She wouldn't know because he wouldn't tell her.

He slid off the barstool, another bottle of beer in his hand, and followed her toward the stairs.

_Is it me? Is it you?  
__Nothing that I can do to change your mind._

"What's he doin'?" Two-Bit muttered.

Dally slid off his barstool, Sylvia's hand clamped down on his and yanking him toward the stairs.

"That sonufabitch," he said, standing up.

"What's going on?" Kathy asked, grabbing his hand, trying to keep him seated. "Where are you going?"

"I'll be right back," he snapped.

Making long, quick strides, he caught Dally before he and Sylvia made it to the steps. Reaching out, he grabbed Dally by the upper arm and spun him around. He wobbled on uncertain feet but scowled at Two-Bit, nonetheless.

"What the fuck do you think you're doin', Two-Bit?" he asked, snaking an arm around Sylvia's neck.

Two-Bit didn't miss the triumphant grin on Sylvia's face.

"Where are you going with her?" he asked.

Dally shrugged and put the beer to his lips and took a gulp. He wiped his face with his sleeve and motioned upstairs.

"Looks to me like we're goin' upstairs," he said, slurring his speech.

"You blind or something, Dallas?"

"What the fuck are you talkin' about?" he asked.

Two-Bit was flabbergasted. His mouth fell agape as he looked between Dallas and Sylvia. He couldn't possibly be thinking straight.

"You better think again, man, 'cause _that_ ain't Ellie," he said, pointing at Sylvia in disgust.

Dally cocked his head and squinted his eyes at the blonde he had his arm around. His lips curled into a smug smirk, and she winked at him.

"She certainly ain't Ellie, but Ellie ain't here, is she?" he said. "What she don't know won't hurt her. You dig, Two-Bit?"

Two-Bit stared at him in disbelief. Dallas was drunker than he'd seen him in awhile, but he seemed aware of what he was doing. Sylvia had dug her claws into him, and Dallas had crumpled like a paper bag.

"If you don't mind, we were in the middle of something," Sylvia said, grabbing Dally's arm and turning him back toward the stairs.

"Yeah, you're working your way into someone else's relationship. Dal, don't fucking do this to Ellie," he warned. "You'll do nothin' but hurt her."

"You know what they say about love and war, Two-Bit," Sylvia said with a wicked smile. "She shoulda been here to keep me offa her man. Come on, Dal."

As they headed upstairs, Dally tripped on a step and Sylvia nearly had to drag him up the last few steps. He was crocked and surely about to do something stupid.

"Hey, what the hell was that about?"

Two-Bit turned around and found Steve standing behind him.

"Tell me that ain't what I think I just saw," he said.

"It was," Two-Bit replied. "He … well, I guess it was more Sylvia took him upstairs. He's too soused to think straight, let alone walk straight."

"That asshole. I fucking knew it," Steve grumbled. "I knew he'd do something stupid and fuck with her mind."

"Break her heart's more like it," Two-Bit said.

"I told her so," Steve said, sticking a cigarette behind his ear.

"You gonna say that to her face when she finds out?" Two-Bit asked, heading back toward the table where he left Kathy. He paused for a second when he noticed Tim Shepard looking in his direction. He wore a rare smile and nodded in his direction before looking up the steps and turning back toward the bar.

"I told her Dally was bad news and here I am, right like usual," Steve said.

"She's going to be upset. You know, she really does like him," Two-Bit replied.

"Maybe, but he didn't like her the same way and that's her own fault. He just took advantage of her and she shoulda known better." Steve paused at Two-Bit's incredulous look. "I'm serious, Two-Bit, she wasn't talkin' to anyone after she got jumped. Then he rides in and suddenly they were dating? It's bullshit."

"Well then, Steve, you can tell her the bad news since you're so hell-bent on giving her a reason to be upset. Rub it in her face and maybe you can even make her cry about it," Two-Bit said, pushing past him.

He wondered if he was the only one who saw how much that kid liked Dallas. Even if they always fought, they had always been close, even when they were kids. He sighed as he sat back down. Staring blindly at the steps, he wondered how she would take the news.

_So now I need you to tell me the truth,  
__You know I'd do that for you._

"That one," she said, pointing to the smooth silver casing of a new Zippo.

The retailer pulled it out for her to see, and Ellie smiled at her tiny reflection. Since Dally had given her his medal, he had nothing to light his cigarettes with and buying him a lighter seemed like a good idea. Even though she knew he wouldn't try and surprise her for Christmas, she didn't mind spending some of her meager savings on him. Maybe he wouldn't be so pissed at her.

"This the one?"

She nodded.

The cashier rang it up and Ellie left the store in good spirits. She knew she wasn't being fair to him, and despite the fact that he was mad at her, maybe a new lighter would raise his spirits too. At least, it couldn't make things worse between them.

_Is it me? Is it you?  
__Is it a waste of time?_

* * *

_A/N: We promised some fic while we are on break and I hope we are delivering enough for you guys. Chapter 26 is in the works as is 27 and 28. There is a one shot planned to go along with this chapter, we're just not sure when that will come to be. A side fic is also planned, but we need to get a little bit ahead so we make sure it'll pan out the way we want._

_As for this chapter ... Dally cheats on Ellie? What? Who's going to tell her, and how is she going to take it?_


	26. It Ends Tonight

**Disclaimer: Once again, we must tell you all to give thanks to Susie Hinton for all of the boys and the world she created for them. The All-American Rejects provided the song "It Ends Tonight."**

* * *

_Your subtleties, they strangle me,  
__I can't explain myself at all._

"Is Ellie here?" Two-Bit asked, hopping up onto the porch.

"Yep," Steve said, leaning back in the rocker. "You gonna break her heart now?"

"Somebody's gotta tell her," Two-Bit said, peering through the living room window but not seeing her. "She has to know."

He looked at Soda for agreement but only got a blank stare in return.

"I didn't see anything," Soda said, looking down at his shoes. "It's not my place to tell her."

"I say you let her just find out on her own," Steve said.

"You're a piece of shit, Steve," Two-Bit said with a scowl. "She's been walking around for days not knowing what everyone else knows about Dally. How'd you like it if I saw Evie cheatin' on you and didn't say anything?"

Steve narrowed his eyes at him and leaned forward. "First of all, there ain't nobody Evie's gonna find that's better than me and second, ain't nobody gonna touch her when she's dating me."

Two-Bit stood there quietly, fiddling with his container of Skoal.

"C'mon, man," Steve said. "It's Dallas Winston of all people. Did you really expect him to not hurt her at some point? I say you let her figure it out on her own so she knows how much of a piece of shit Dally can be."

Two-Bit didn't want to believe that he had ever thought that Dally would treat Ellie well, but he did. Even now, he still believed Dally had been good for her. He brightened her up after something bad happened to her. Ellie wasn't the type to wallow in self-pity, but after the school year she'd been having, he wouldn't have blamed her for being upset. Because of Dally, she'd been going out and having a good time for once in her life.

"It don't matter what I thought, Steve, it matters what she thinks," he said. "It ain't right to not tell her what happened."

"He was with her again at Buck's," Steve said as the front door swung open and Ellie walked outside. "Or so the rumor goes."

"Who was with who?" she asked, an eager smile on her face. "I wanna know."

"Ah, it ain't nothing, El. Just gossip," Steve said, a shit-eating grin on his face. "Ain't that right, Two-Bit?"

Steve was a real asshole when he wanted to be, and right then he wanted to be. Two-Bit scowled, wanting to deck him right then and there, but Ellie turned and looked at him.

"Nothin' at all?" she asked, faking a pout.

"Nope," Soda agreed.

"Too bad," she replied with a smile. "I haven't heard much gossip lately."

"That'll change before long," Steve muttered to Soda.

"What?" she asked.

"Ellie, can I talk to you about something?" Two-Bit asked quickly.

"Yeah, what's up?"

"I … uh …" he trailed off and suddenly realized he couldn't bring himself to do it. Not right then and not like that. She looked happy for once and Two-Bit couldn't think of the words he needed to say. He didn't think he could be the bearer of bad news. He didn't want to watch her face fall when he told her what he'd seen. She didn't deserve that.

"What is it?" she asked. After a few seconds of silence, she waved a hand in front of his face. "Earth to Two-Bit … anyone home?"

"Yeah, Two-Bit, what's up?" Steve asked.

"About … about …" he was digging for something to say.

"About Christmas," Soda piped up.

"Christmas?" she asked. "What about it?"

"He was wondering what everyone was doing for Christmas," Soda replied. "Thought one of us might have big plans."

Two-Bit began nodding. He felt stupid. He shouldn't have even brought it up.

Her face scrunched up, confused. "There never has been before, why would this year any different?" she asked.

"I don't know, just wonderin'," Two-Bit said. "No special plans at all?"

She hesitated for a moment. "Well, I kind of bought Dally something."

"You what?" Steve demanded.

Her cheeks began flushing and she fished in her bag before pulling out a silver lighter. "It's not much, but it's Christmas, you know?"

Steve groaned. "Boy, that was a stupid thing to do."

Ellie's face fell slightly. "Yeah, probably."

"No probably about it, kid," he assured her. "You know he ain't getting you anything, right?"

"I'm not stupid, Steve," she said.

Soda punched Steve's arm. "You never know, Steve. Dally could surprise everybody."

"Oh, he's gonna surprise her, I'm sure of that," he agreed quietly.

Ellie tucked the lighter back in her purse before she nodded toward the street. "I've gotta get home. I told my mom I'd get dinner started."

"She's keeping you pretty busy," Soda observed. "Didn't you make dinner last night, too? And you left early to clean the other day."

"Yeah, she's just havin' a rough time and I'm trying to make up for some of it, I guess," she replied.

"Does it have anything to do with the skirt that was with Jimmy at Buck's that night?" Steve asked.

Ellie let her eyes wander up the street a ways. "Yeah, I guess that might have something to do with it."

"Does your ma know about her?" Soda asked.

Ellie's lips set in a firm line. "So far she doesn't. I guess what she doesn't know can't hurt her, right? Besides, I doubt she'd do anything about it."

Two-Bit's shoulders sagged a little bit at her last comment. If she knew how alike her situation was to her mother's, she would be devastated.

"Right," Soda echoed quietly. Two-Bit noticed he looked a little more reserved than he did earlier.

Steve seemed to ignore everything she had just said.

"Is he messing with you?" he asked.

Ellie shrugged. "I guess if I don't say anything to my mom about his little girlfriend, everything should be okay."

Two-Bit leaned against the doorframe and frowned. She looked upset just thinking about it all. He couldn't add to that.

"I gotta go. I'll see y'all later," she said, offering a quick wave before bounding down the steps. "Don't tell Dal about the lighter, okay?"

"Don't worry, kid," Steve said, a smirk on his face. "I'd hate to ruin _that_ surprise."

She gave him a funny look before she walked through the gate and down the street.

Once she was out of earshot, Two-Bit smacked Steve upside the head.

"You wanna torture her about Dally when she's watching her mom go through the same thing? What the hell?"

Steve stood up, making sure his extra few inches of height made Two-Bit look up at him.

"I thought you were gonna tell her, but you wussed out," Steve said.

"Guys," Soda pleaded, trying to intervene.

Two-Bit wanted to hit him, but he backed off and walked off the porch instead. He would leave that to Dally.

"You know, Steve, for someone that prides himself with being a big brother to her, you're pretty lousy at it sometimes. I know you're pissed off that she went out with Dal even though you warned her about him and now you're right, but it don't change the fact that she's the one who is going to get hurt by it all," he said.

Steve stuck his hands in his pockets and kicked the porch with the toe of his shoe. He didn't say anything back, and Two-Bit was satisfied with that. Silence out of Steve Randle was rarity when it came to challenges like that, but he had to know that Two-Bit had a point. He'd won that battle and now all he had to do was work up the courage to tell Ellie that Dally cheated on her.

_And all the wants, and all the needs,  
__All I don't want to need at all._

The light was on in her bedroom and Dally had to talk himself into knocking on the window. He hadn't seen her in a few days- his own avoidance, he was sure- and he figured he should show his face. Besides, he figured he would know if she had a clue about what went on with Sylvia.

He tapped lightly, almost hoping she wouldn't answer. After a few seconds, she brushed the curtains back and grinned at him as she slid the window open.

Leaning out into the cold night air, she said in a hushed voice, "What're you doin' here?"

"What? You ain't happy to see me?" he asked.

She smiled and stood back so he could climb inside. She shut the window behind him and sat back onto her bed.

"Merry Christmas," she said, quietly.

"Huh?" he asked, running a hand through his hair and sitting down beside her.

"It's Christmas, silly," she answered, leaning over him and planting a kiss on his lips.

She was acting damn strange.

"I … got you a present," she added, her cheeks reddening.

He just stared at her and after a couple of seconds she went to her dresser and came back with something small in her hand. She looked at it for a few seconds before she handed it to him.

"Merry Christmas," she said sheepishly.

Dally took it from her and looked down to find a lighter in his hand. It was nice and smoothly polished silver. He flipped the top open and lit it. He watched the flame flicker a little. If she was giving him gifts there was no way in hell she knew. Snapping it shut he hoped it stayed that way. If she didn't know, then he could pretend like it didn't happen.

"Weren't you supposed to wrap this?" he asked.

Her shoulders slumped a little. "Yeah, I guess so, but I figured you'd make fun of me either way."

With an brief chuckle, he replied, "You got me figured out."

"Not quite," she said. "Do you like it?"

He liked the lighter just fine, but her giving him presents sat funny with him. His thoughts crept back to Sylvia and he tried to push them away. What Ellie didn't know wouldn't hurt her.

"Yeah, I like it, kid," he said, putting it in his pocket. She beamed a smile at him and leaned in and kissed him.

After a few moments of kissing while Dally tried to think of an excuse to leave, he finally pulled away from her and stood up from the bed.

"You're going already?" she asked quietly.

Dally nodded. "Yeah, I gotta get Buck's car back."

She furrowed her brow. "I didn't see it parked out there."

He shrugged nonchalantly. He'd already thought of that answer too. "I parked it down the street so your parents didn't hear me. I oughta go before you get in any trouble, too."

"Oh," she said. She glanced at his hand and cocked her head slightly. "What happened to your ring?" she asked, taking his hand in hers.

He pulled it out of her loose grasp and reached for the window.

"Dally?"

"I don't know. It's been gone for awhile now," he answered, climbing out the window. It wasn't exactly a lie; he didn't know for sure where it had disappeared to, but he was fairly certain considering it disappeared after the night he spent with Sylvia.

"Oh," she repeated.

He reached back through the window and took her hand. "Don't worry about it, El, I'm sure it's around somewhere." She still looked a little sad, so he pulled her hand to his lips and kissed the back of it. "Thanks for the lighter."

"You really like it?" she asked.

"Yeah, I do." That wasn't a lie either.

_You're finding things that you didn't know,  
__I look at you with such disdain._

Ellie leaned against the brick wall of the grocery store, staring blankly ahead. They had barely seen any customers all morning long, so Joe shooed her away to take a break. She was itching for a cigarette and the few flurries of snow that were making their way down made her want to stand outside. Christmas came and went without much fuss at all, and in a way it made her sad. Christmas had never been the same since her grandmother died. A lot of things were never the same after she died.

She had grabbed her jacket and purse, but once she was outside, she realized she wasn't so sad anymore; she was just cold. However, the flakes that melted on her jacket were pretty enough to keep her there. She dug her pack of cigarettes out of her bag and lit one in an effort to keep warm. Leaning her head back, she watched the smoke and her foggy breath mingle before it disappeared in the gloomy December sky.

Hearing an engine rev down the street, she glanced up. The screeching tires sounded like Soda's driving, but the motor didn't sound like Darry's truck.

Ellie watched as the car made an abrupt U-turn, angering the few motorists that were driving on Front Street. The deep groove on the side of the car glared up at her from the side of Tim Shepard's car, and she rolled her eyes. What the hell did he want?

He laughed off the sounding horns coming from the drivers he cut off with an upraised middle finger as he climbed out of the car. He sauntered up to Ellie, a look on his face that she couldn't read. That worried her.

"Just who I was looking for," he said, leaning next to her on the brick wall.

"Oh, yeah?" she raised her eyebrows inquisitively and took another drag on her cigarette.

"Yeah. Can I bum one of those offa you?"

"Was that why you were lookin' for me?" she asked, the cigarette bobbing between her lips. "To take my cigarettes?"

Tim shrugged, an unusual smile on his face. "Have a heart, honey. I'm fresh outta smokes."

She shook her head as she began to plunder through her bag. Maybe he would leave her alone if she offered him one. She looked up surprised when Tim grabbed the cigarette she had balanced between her lips.

He took a drag and grinned at her. "Thanks, kid."

She glared at him as best she could through her shock before she pulled another smoke out of her bag. Before she could find her matches that were lost in the bottomless pit she called her purse, Tim pulled out his lighter.

"Ah, let me," he said, gallantly igniting it and holding it out for her.

She stared at him, no longer amused by whatever Tim Shepard was up to. Grabbing the lighter out of his hand, she lit it herself.

"What a gentleman," she muttered. "Bum my cigarettes, and then offer me a light like you're some kind of prince. Jesus."

He just smiled at her, a strange, shit-eating grin that made Ellie nervous.

"Well?" she asked, blowing smoke in his face.

"'Well,' what?" he countered, returning the favor.

She waved the smoke out of her face, but she didn't miss how he moved a little closer to her.

"Why were you looking for me?"

He leaned even closer to her, their arms barely touching. She had to crane her neck up to see him. She hadn't realized how tall he was, considering the only times she usually saw him, he was sitting around at Buck's or in the middle of a fight with Dally. Now she saw he towered nearly a foot over her, tall and lean. It was a scary combination. She tried to keep an indignant, tuff look on her face, but it was hard when she was being dwarfed.

"I was wondering if you would consider joinin' me at a party this weekend. You know, New Year's and all that jazz," he added. His voice was low and husky with smoke.

She cocked an eyebrow in disbelief and she scoffed, "Go to a party with you?"

He only stared at her, not making an attempt to clear up her confusion.

"Are you itching to have Dally kick your ass or something?" she hesitated when he didn't say anything. Something about his cool, calm demeanor made her nervous.

"What makes you think I don't already have plans with him?" she asked, trying another tactic.

Tim furrowed his brows slightly, like he was trying to figure her out. Or maybe he already had figured her out and was trying to keep from laughing at her. Either way, she didn't like it.

He shrugged slowly. "I heard he already had plans with somebody else."

"Like who?" she asked, trying to keep her voice steady and cringing when her voice came off as high-pitched and desperate.

"Don't tell me you two made up already?" Tim said. "Or that you just let him get away with screwing another girl?" He chuckled to himself before he added, "Man, I gotta find a broad like you."

Ellie was getting angry with Tim beating around the bush. She had no idea what he was getting at but she didn't like what he was saying.

"What the hell are you talking about, Tim?" she demanded, pushing herself off of the wall and facing him.

He raised his right shoulder slightly in a half-hearted shrug. "I just figured if he was screwing Sylvia, you sure wouldn't be datin' him anymore. Guess I'm wrong."

Her eyes widened at the name. "Sylvia?" she spat. She considered what Tim had just said in half a second, shaking her head the whole time. "You're wrong," she stated flatly.

Tim gave her a crooked smile. "Kid, I'm a lot of things, but wrong ain't one of 'em. Unless Dally took Sylvia to his room at Buck's to play Monopoly, I'm pretty fucking right."

She was quiet for a long moment. Dally had been acting funny lately, but that wasn't all that unusual. He was fickle, fine one moment and pissed off the next. She had summed it up to that, but now that Tim had gotten into her brain, she was wondering if she had added it all up wrong.

"No," she told him, her voice quiet and getting lost in the distance between them. He had to be wrong.

She clenched her fists, hoping it would keep her hands from shaking so violently. Instead it moved the shaking into her core and she thought she was going to shake right out of her shoes.

"Sylvia," she said quietly. The name tasted bitter. She took another drag on her cigarette, hoping it would wash the taste out of her mouth and calm her hands. It did neither. "You musta been seeing things, Tim, 'cause I know that ain't true."

Tim finally stopped grinning at her, and his lips formed a tight line across his face. He put his hand on her shoulder and said quietly, "Kiddo, I know you think I've got plenty of reason to lie to you, but I'm not. Check around. I know Mathews was there when it happened. He talked to Winston before he went upstairs."

He dropped his cigarette and stubbed it out with his toe. His hand was still on her shoulder and she shoved it off roughly.

"Fuck you, Tim," she said. She thought she yelled it, but it sounded dull and defeated to her own ears. "You don't know what you're talking about."

A smile made its way back to Tim's lips as a motor roared closer to them.

"Listen, Ellie," Tim said, glancing up at the truck that parked at the curb next to them. "Don't kill the messenger. I just thought you knew."

"Ellie?"

She glanced back at the sound of her name. Ponyboy was standing there, and Soda was climbing out of the truck.

"Hey, Tim," Soda greeted slowly. "Hey, El. What's goin' on?"

Tim grinned at Soda over Ellie's head. "Just having a little chat, Curtis. That okay with you?"

"If it's okay with Ellie," he replied, walking closer to them.

"Tim's just leaving," Ellie said with her back still to Soda.

Tim turned his attention back to her and winked. "Guess I know when I ain't wanted. Thanks for the smoke." He leaned down closer to her and said so only she could hear, "Dingo ain't too far from here, is it?"

"No," she said, narrowing her eyes at him. "It's just a few blocks away."

He nodded and she watched as he walked past her, his strides cocky and arrogant as he nodded his goodbye to Soda and Ponyboy. Before he climbed into his car, he called back to Ellie. "My offer still stands, kid. I'll be around if you change your mind."

With that, Tim peeled off down the street.

"What was that all about?" Soda asked.

Ellie didn't look at him. She kept her eyes trained on Tim's car as it sped down the road. "I don't know," she said softly.

_When darkness turns to light,  
__It ends tonight._

Ellie was glad when Soda and Pony finally left Joe's with a couple bags of groceries each. She felt nervous and jumpy and she didn't know why. It couldn't have been because of what Tim said. Clearly he was mistaken. He saw somebody else with Sylvia. Or maybe he was just telling her hearsay that was going around Buck's. It was just gossip and there wasn't any truth to gossip. Was there?

She felt the air go out of her lungs as she recalled what Steve was saying to Two-Bit and Soda the other day. Gossip that was going around Buck's … that somebody was with somebody else. Again. She felt like she'd been hit in the chest with a brick when it dawned on her that he had been going to Buck's without her because she refused to go. He'd been mad at her and she hadn't seen much of him. She felt like an idiot.

She pushed herself back from the register and took a few deep breaths. It didn't help; she still felt like she was drowning. And she had nobody to blame but herself. Everyone had warned her, and she had ignored them. She had ignored everything: the way Dally had been avoiding her lately, his abrupt departure after she gave him his lighter, the ring that was missing from his hand. He had already broken up with her in every way, but he didn't bother letting her know. She put her hands to her face and clenched her jaw.

It wasn't fair.

"Ellie, are you okay?"

She glanced down the canned goods aisle at Bobbie. The older woman was tying her uniform apron around her as she headed to the register to relieve Ellie of her shift.

"I'm fine," Ellie replied, giving her a smile. Well, she hoped it came across as a smile; it was the best she could do at the moment.

"You sure? You look a little pale," Bobbie said, popping a piece of gum in her mouth.

Ellie nodded slowly as she walked around the counter. "I'm fine. I'll see you later."

Bobbie nodded her goodbye as Ellie untied her apron and headed to the break room. Blindly, she tossed her apron in and she grabbed her stuff and headed out the back door. Her feet carried her toward the Dingo and she knew without a doubt in her mind that Tim Shepard would be waiting on her.

Her mind was clouded, torn between two intense feelings: Loyalty and betrayal. She figured she knew what Tim had in mind, but she didn't know the whole story and she was inclined to give Dally the benefit of the doubt. Feeling tears springing to her eyes against the cold breeze, she knew that was her own imagination making her believe that he wouldn't do that to her. Even though she didn't want to believe, she could feel the betrayal, and it tasted bitter. Would Dally hurt her like that? If the rumors were true and she was the last to know, she wanted to do Dally one better. She knew right where to hurt him and all she could figure was that Tim knew as well.

_A weight is lifted on this evening,  
__I give the final blow.  
__It ends tonight._

* * *

_A/N: What in the world is Timothy Shepard up to? Whatever it is, do you think Ellie is going to go along with it? _

How are we doing? Three chapters this month! That hasn't happened in a great while! Chapter 27 is almost finished, so please expect it in the new year.


	27. Little of Your Time

_**Diclaimer: Once again we pay homage to the woman who provided the world with her characters and her world, Susie Hinton. We also give props to Maroon 5 for their song "Little Of Your Time."**_

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_I don't mind being the other guy,  
__If you want me, call me.  
__Come and take a risk._

Ellie scanned the Dingo's parking lot and quickly found Tim's car. She walked into the crowded restaurant- more crowded than usual, given the kids' holiday vacation from school- and glanced at each table for any sign of him. She didn't have to look for long because she heard someone call her name.

"Hey, Ellie!"

It wasn't the Shepard she was looking for; it was Curly. But wherever the youngest wandered, the eldest was usually prowling around somewhere. With only a moment's hesitation, Ellie headed for the table.

"Hi, Curly," she said when she stepped up to the table. She nodded at Evie's brother, Rick, and another guy in Tim's gang she only knew by Todd.

"Where's your boyfriend?" he asked.

All three boys started to laugh and Ellie felt completely left out in the joke. She wished for a snappy comeback but she hadn't come to match wits with Curly.

"Is Tim around anywhere?" she asked instead.

Curly pointed behind her and Ellie turned to look. Tim was a few feet behind her and heading her way. The unreadable expression on his face turned her stomach with nervousness.

"Didn't know you'd believe me so quick," he said when he reached her. He looked at Curly and the other guys. "Get lost, boys. I gotta talk to Ellie."

Curly grudgingly stood up, and Rick and Todd followed. Tim gestured to the seat in front of him.

Ellie watched him cautiously as he simply stood there. She would have rather stood but he stared at her and said nothing, a look on his face that told her if she didn't sit down on her own, he would do it for her. He waited until she took her seat before he sat across from her.

She raised an eyebrow in curiosity, and he mimicked her.

"What?" he asked.

She shrugged, tapping her fingers on the table and looking away. "Maybe you are a gentleman."

Tim smiled a crooked smile at her. "Everybody underestimates a Shepard. I remember my manners."

"When you want to," she added.

His grin widened slightly. "You got it." He stretched his arms onto the table and laced his fingers together in front of him. "I take it you thought about my offer."

Ellie smiled in spite of herself. "Do you make everything into a business deal?"

The smile faded from his face, but Ellie was surprised that he didn't appear angry. She often thought most of the Shepard gang, including Tim, had two emotions: amused or pissed off. Tim looked serious, but he didn't look as dangerous as he usually did. _That must be something Dally brings out in him_, she decided.

"I thought this could be like a business deal," he began. "You know that I ain't making this shit up about Dally, right?"

Ellie shrugged slowly and Tim grinned again.

"How am I supposed to believe you? He ain't been nothin' but good to me … " She trailed off when he started laughing at her. She ignored him. "He hasn't given me any reason to think otherwise."

"Admit it, kiddo," he said. "If you didn't believe me, even just a little bit, would you have even come here?"

She said nothing and he laughed. It was a dry chuckle- hardly a laugh by any standard- but she was quickly learning that when it came to Tim, there were only his standards.

"That's what I thought," he said. "Okay, listen up, kid. I've got an idea that can get him back for the both of us."

"Both of us?" she asked. "I never said I believed you."

She heard the weakness in her tone. Tim did too.

He pointed to the window beside them. "You saw what he did to my car. I ain't one to leave these kinds of things unsettled. He gets what's coming to him."

Ellie furrowed her brow and stared at the long white scratch in his car. She was thinking more about the night it happened rather than the event itself. "So, what? You're going to key his girlfriend to get back at him?"

Tim chuckled dryly and sat back in the booth, giving her a suggestive look that made her blush as she thought about what she said.

"If you want to put it that way, you can," he said, still laughing. "I wasn't planning on all that, but anything else could just be an added bonus."

"That wasn't what I meant," Ellie grumbled, crossing her arms.

"I thought if we made an appearance at Buck's party Friday night, we could both get back him," Tim explained.

"That's it?" she asked. "A date at a party?"

Tim shrugged. "A party or two. He won't believe it after one date. If you ain't up for it, that's no skin off my nose. I can find plenty of ways to get back at Dal. It's a little harder considering he ain't got a car of his own that I can wreck, but I can get creative. You ain't like getting back at him with one of his other broads. Seeing you with me will eat him alive."

Ellie considered that. It was starting to sound like a decent idea, but she didn't know if she was sold. Alone with Tim Shepard at Buck's? It was a scary prospect.

"Tim, I need to talk to Dal-"

"Uh oh," Tim said with a grin, looking over Ellie's shoulder.

"What?" she asked, following his gaze. She caught her breath when she saw Sylvia walking through the doors. She was full aware of how fast she could feel her heart beating and the way that her hands balled into fists under the table.

"I'm leaving," she said, scooting out from the booth. She wasn't ready to face it.

Tim caught her wrist and pulled her back to the table.

"You gonna give me an answer, sweetheart?" he asked.

Disgusted, Ellie ripped her hand away and backed up, backing right into someone standing behind her. Two hands flattened on her back and shoved her back into the table. Tim shot an arm out and steadied her. Finding her balance, Ellie turned to see who pushed her and saw Sylvia standing there.

"You should watch where you're going," Sylvia said coolly.

Ellie opened her mouth for the comeback but something caught her eye and distracted her. Something silver and something circular. Something that shouldn't have been there. Somebody's ring hanging around her neck. All at once Dally's words started ringing in her ears, his lies stinging like a slap to the face. _I don't know. It's been gone for a while now._ It was gone because he gave it to her.

It was as if something possessed her when she barreled into Sylvia, screaming as she knocked both of them down to the ground. The only real advantage Ellie has was that she caught Sylvia off guard. She was smaller in every way, and she was smart enough to know that the only way of making any damage was knocking her to the floor.

Sitting on top of her, Ellie started throwing punches into her pretty face. She had never in her life felt so angry and betrayed and then have to stare the reason in the face. It was too much for her and her fury and anger were coming out in her punches and scratches. She could hear Sylvia screaming, swearing at her, and she felt it when she finally got a hit in. Ellie swayed backward but she didn't cup her cheek and she didn't stop. She reached and found a handful of curly blonde hair and pulled as hard as she could.

Pulling and punching and receiving blows in return, Ellie pummeled Sylvia with all her might. Her rage was stemming further than Dally's ring around her neck. Sylvia disappeared and became everything else that was going wrong in her life and she was beating her as though she could beat all of the shit out of her life in one instant. Beating away everything she couldn't control with an audience to cheer her on.

The real world came crashing back in one single instant as a strong hand grabbed her arm and tried to pull her back. Sylvia seemed to notice her distraction because she clawed her way back into the fight by dragging her long, sharp nails down the side of Ellie's face.

"Get off of me!" she yelled, yanking her arm away.

The same hand grabbed both of her arms this time, pulling her backwards. Ellie watched helplessly as Sylvia lifted her feet from the floor and kicked her square in the chest. With the wind knocked clean out of her, she lost her footing, falling backward into the person who pulled her out of the fight. She looked up and saw Tim.

"What are you doing?" she gasped.

"You shoulda known Dally would come running back to me," Sylvia said from the floor, holding her head where Ellie had grabbed her hair. "Why would he want a little girl when he's got a woman waiting for him?"

As Ellie lunged at Sylvia again, she was vaguely aware of the fact that Tim had simply let her go. At the moment it didn't matter, though. She grabbed for Sylvia's hair again, but Sylvia was expecting it this time. She wriggled out from under Ellie and suddenly she had the upper hand. With Sylvia pinning her to the dirty Dingo floor, Ellie could only struggle and gasp, trying to block the punches she was throwing. Ellie was surprised by the amount of fight Sylvia had in her, considering her girly clothes, excessive makeup and perfect manicure.

Ellie flinched once more before Sylvia was no longer holding her down. Tim hauled her to her feet, and she noticed Sylvia had been shoved back into the milling crowd around them. Tim pushed Ellie out the door before she could take in anything more.

"What are you doing?" she asked again, her voice more forceful than before.

He was dragging her into the parking lot and Ellie tried to plant her feet.

"Tim!" she yelled.

With a tight grip on her arm, he whirled around and leaned close to her face. "You hear that?" She was quiet for a second and listened to the faint, but growing sound, of sirens. "You got the cops called on you, honey."

She jerked her arm away and tried to push him back, but he didn't budge. She knew she should be panicked at the thought of the cops rolling in to arrest her, but it only made her angrier.

"Whoa, _little girl_," Tim quipped, his hand back on her arm. "If you're itchin' to get arrested, don't let me get in your way."

"They wouldn't even be on their way if you woulda stepped into the fight earlier," she shouted at him. "You knew she'd be there. You told me to come so you could prove your point."

Tim grinned. "First off, I didn't know shit about her coming and second I don't need that broad to prove my point. And it ain't every day a couple of chicks get into it, so excuse me for havin' a little fun."

She tried to pull her arm away again but he held on tight.

"Then when you finally do try to stop the fight, she knocks the wind out of me!"

"Guess you aren't such a hot shot, are you, kid?" Tim asked with a smirk, as he continued to drag her towards his car. "I let you go back at it, didn't I?"

"Just so she could pin me down and attack me?" she demanded, still dragging her feet as best she could.

"Kind of like you did to her?" he asked.

"Fuck you, Tim," she spat.

"Fiesty, huh?" he said, giving her a rough shove into the passenger seat of his Bel Air. "Shut up and sit down, will you?"

Tim was around the car in an instant after he slammed her door harder than necessary. He peeled out of the parking lot, cutting across two lanes of traffic and ahead of the fast approaching police cars. As they took off down the street and the fuzz pulled into the Dingo's parking lot, Ellie felt one very small weight lift from her shoulders. She still had a few more burdens to deal with, though.

_Embrace a devil so sly,  
__You cannot hear him coming._

Brakes screeched outside and an engine idled then shut off. Peering out the front window, Darry was a little surprised to see Tim Shepard's car parked right behind his truck. He was even more surprised when Tim pulled Ellie out of the car and led her toward the porch. He stepped outside to meet them and didn't like what he heard or what he saw.

"Let go, Tim!" she shouted.

"Problem here?" Darry asked, standing at the top of the steps, crossing his arms and knowing very well how larger than life he looked.

Ellie started and looked up at him. Her face was a mess of raw scratches, her hair a mess and even her shirt was torn at the sleeve. Tim was holding her by the arm and dragging her toward the porch steps.

"No problem at all, Curtis. Just droppin' the kid off. She got herself into a fight at the Dingo and I thought I'd bring her back to you," Tim explained. He dropped her arm and Ellie's face contorted into a disgusted glare as she pulled her arm back. She didn't move from beside him and Darry wondered.

"Who'd you get into a fight with?" he asked, relaxing his arms a little and walking down the steps to meet them. He tipped her face up and she turned away angrily.

"Guess my work here is done. I just wanted to make sure she made it back in one piece rather than in jail or something," Tim said.

"Jail?" Darry asked, nearly choking on the word. He looked back at Ellie and her arms were crossed and she hunched her shoulders awkwardly. She looked like she had taken a pretty good beating in the fight.

"You know how fights at the Dingo end up. Cops almost always get called, especially when the fight's going on inside," Tim explained.

"Yeah …" Darry said, trailing off as he looked down at her.

"Guess I'll head out now." He nodded his goodbye and walked back toward his car.

"He didn't hurt you, did he?" Darry asked her, turning his back to the street. She was staring at the ground, mumbling something to herself. "Ellie?"

Tim won her attention. "Hey Ellie!"

He was leaning on his car, the door open and one foot inside. Ellie just stared at him with an expression Darry couldn't read.

"I'll pick you up at eight Friday night," he said, waving her off and climbing into his car.

"What is going on?" Darry asked. "Ellie?"

"What?" she snapped, finally looking up at him.

Three scratches lined her left cheek, one of them coming dangerously close to her eye. She stared up at him, indignant and pissed off, and Darry was at a loss for words.

"Where is Dally?" she asked, pronouncing each word slowly and with intensity behind each syllable.

He shook his head. "I don't know. I haven't seen him today."

"I'm going to kill him," she hissed, turning on her heel and heading for the gate.

"Whoa, hold up, El," he said, heading after her. He caught her before she swung the gate open, and he grabbed it so she couldn't. "What's going on? Why'd Tim bring you home?"

"Dally's a piece of shit," she stated, matter of factly.

"Yeah, I'll buy that, but what happened? Who'd you get into a fight with?" he asked.

She was staring at the ground again, her mind lost in a thought that didn't include him or that moment. He put a hand on her shoulder and she jumped, looking back up at him with what he swore were tears in her eyes.

"Ellie?"

"Sylvia," she answered bitterly.

The dots suddenly connected and Darry let go of the gate. "Oh," he said.

She pushed the gate open and stepped by him and stopped on the sidewalk. Turning around to face him, the glistening gone from her eyes, and said, "If you see the Three Stooges, tell them I want to talk to them."

Darry raised an eyebrow. "You think Soda, Steve and Two-Bit had something to do with this?"

"They certainly knew about it all," she said. "And I want to have a talk with them. After I deal with Dally," she added, angry entrenched in her voice.

Darry could only watch her walk down the street, still hunching slightly in pain. He didn't thinks things would end well for Dally and Ellie, but he didn't see this one coming and from the looks of it, she didn't see it either.

_We are just passionate lovers_  
_With trouble under the covers.  
__Nothing worse then when  
__You know that it's over._

* * *

_A/N: Uh oh, what now, Sylvia? Ellie's more than a little POed, but you can blame her? She was the last to know her relationship with Dally was over. Tim moved in pretty fast. Is he after what he really says he's after?_


	28. Tender is the Night

**Disclaimer: You know the drill. We don't own Susie's characters or Jackson Browne's song. And a special thanks to Jackson for providing us the title of our story. On with the story.**

_

* * *

_

_Between the darkness on the street  
And the houses filling up with light._

After spending the majority of the afternoon locked in the bathroom, Ellie emerged feeling as angry as ever. The remnants of her fight with Sylvia were still very apparent and nothing she did could lessen the bright red scratches that trailed down her cheek from the other girl's nails. She ducked into her room before she could be spotted by her mom. The last thing she needed was to explain her fight to Abigail and why it had begun in the first place. She didn't think she would be able to keep her mouth shut about Jimmy's extramarital activities. Leaning against the door, Ellie closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

She felt all torn up, inside and out. She thought that if Michael would leave her alone at school, things would be better. However, it seemed like he was the least of her troubles nowadays. No, now the biggest of her troubles was her own doing. Grabbing her coat from her bed, she headed for the window in an effort to undo the latest catastrophe in her life.

_Between the stillness in my heart  
__And the roar of the approaching night._

Dally jammed his fists in his pockets out of irritation, not in a bid to stay warm. He was plenty warm enough with his anger. Whenever he thought things couldn't get any worse, the world spun a little more out of his control.

Everything had been perfectly fine until earlier in the afternoon when Sylvia came barging into his room at Buck's like a bull in a china shop. Her hair was a mess and her clothes were rumpled and sitting crooked on her usually perfectly put-together frame.

"What the hell happened to you?" he asked, wondering if he wanted to know the answer. The scratches on her face were the obvious wounds from a chick fight and, though Sylvia had plenty of girls willing to claw her eyes out, only one name came to mind at the moment. He hoped he was wrong, but he didn't think he was.

"That little bitch you used to date," Sylvia yelled at him, slamming the door behind her and crossing her arms. "I take it you never broke up with her?"

Dally shrugged nonchalantly. "I was getting around to it."

In all honestly, he had tried to avoid thinking about the whole thing, hoping it would sort itself out on its own. That sure went to hell when Ellie bought him that stupid fucking lighter. She was supposed to catch onto the fact that he was avoiding her. She was supposed to be smarter than that.

"Well, it looks like I got around to it before you did," Sylvia replied, drumming her damaged nails on her crossed arms.

"What'd you do?" Dally asked, feeling oddly reserved about the whole thing. The situation itself had an odd, dreamlike quality about it. More like a nightmare, the more it trapped him. Maybe he was dreaming. Maybe none of this was real.

"I thought I would give her a hard time at the Dingo because I _thought_ you had broke up with her already!" she hissed from clenched teeth. "I didn't know I was letting her know for the _first_ time."

Dally tried to keep his reaction in check. Of all the ways for this to play out, that was the least favorable way it could have gone. He reached for a cigarette, hoping the action came off as calm and cool instead of desperate.

"And how did that go for you?" he asked between puffs.

"How the hell does it _look_ like it went?" she screeched, holding her arms away from her to give Dally a better look at her disheveled figure. Under other circumstances, he may have laughed about it a bit. Hell, maybe in a few years from now, he would. At the moment, however, it was no laughing matter.

He let out a forced chuckle to save face, but to his ears it sounded like a groan. "Okay, how did it go for Ellie, then?"

Sylvia shrugged, a pouty look on her face. "She got what was coming to her."

Now that he looked at her more closely, he thought he could see the hints of bruises on her face, but he couldn't sure because of all of her makeup.

"It looks like Ellie ain't no slouch of a fighter," Dally observed.

Sylvia sat beside Dally on the bed and tried to fix her hair, though it looked like it was knotted beyond repair. She gave a pathetic half-shrug.

"I guess she can scrap a little better than I expected, but I sure didn't expect her to pounce on me the way she did. Poor kid musta been blind to think you were still dating her. Kind of sad, really," Sylvia added, adjusting her blouse. "It was actually a pretty decent fight 'til Tim Shepard hauled her outta the place. I wouldn't have minded sitting in a police car with the girl for a while."

Dally had been barely listening to her as he tried to imagine the scene, but Shepard's name jumped out at him.

"What was Shepard doing there?" he blurted.

"What's he ever doing at the Dingo?" Sylvia let out some kind of giggle before she continued, "It almost looked like he was talking business with Ellie. Don't know what she could do for him, though. She's cute but it ain't like she's got a lot to offer. Especially a choosy guy like him."

Dally ground out his cigarette. He didn't know either but he was sure as hell going to find out.

_Between a life that we expected  
__And the way it's always been_

Two-Bit's forehead met the kitchen table. It came back up and met it twice more. This wasn't happening. Darry had to be lying.

"Man, I wish I coulda been there to see that," Steve said, pride in his voice. "Ellie knocking the shit out of Sylvia? I can't believe it."

"What you oughta try and believe is how mad she was," Darry said. "I'm not sure that I've ever seen her that angry."

"You said that Tim Shepard brought her home?" Soda asked, saying the name slowly, trying to figure out how and why he ended up in the picture.

"Yeah," Darry said, nodding slowly.

Two-Bit lifted his head and watched Steve plunder through the cupboards for food.

"You know what that means, don't you?" he asked, a terrible thought coming to him. Tim Shepard saw Dally go upstairs with Sylvia that night. The grin that was on his face suddenly filled Two-Bit's thoughts, and he realized that he'd been planning something since the start. "That means she found out 'fore one of us got to tell her."

Steve shrugged, still rifling through the cabinet. "Guess you should have told her then."

"How come no one told her?" Darry asked.

"Would you want to tell her something like that?" Soda asked.

"She had it coming. I told her it was a bad idea and look who was right," Steve said.

"Shut up, Steve," Two-Bit said. Turning to Darry, he said, "I tried but I couldn't do it. I don't know, she was in such a good mood, I couldn't bring myself to tell her and then … then, Sylvia got to her before I could."

"Well, she knows now," Darry said, matter-of-factly.

"She's going to be pissed when she finds out we knew and we didn't tell her nothin'," Two-Bit said.

"It don't matter. She'll take it out on Dally, anyway. He was the one doing the cheating," Steve replied.

Sitting back in the chair, Two-Bit let out a low whistle. Dally may have been the one doing the cheating, but he still felt terrible. If it wasn't enough that Dally went behind her back, it was that she was the last to know about it.

"Glory, I shoulda opened my mouth," he said, rubbing his face.

"Too late now, buddy," Darry said.

_Somebody's calling after somebody,  
__Somebody turns the corner out of sight,  
__Looking for somebody, somewhere in the night._

Buck had taken his damn car, and Dally was left to walk when he went to go find Shepard. Sylvia had all but clawed his eyes out when he got up and started to leave, but he didn't give two shits about what she wanted. He wanted to figure out what the hell Shepard was doing talking to Ellie.

By bus and by foot, Dally wasn't finding out shit, and it was getting dark and cold as hell. He was ready to breathe fire when, to his disappointment, the only Shepard he could find was the miniature one.

Catching the younger boy off guard and alone, Dally had him by his collar and shoved up against the wall outside the Dingo.

"Lay the fuck off, Winston," he snarled, attempting a right hook right at Dally's face. But Dally wasn't playing around. He grabbed the little twerp's arm and twisted it around his back, turning his whole body and holding him at his mercy.

"What the fuck was your brother doin' talking to Ellie?" he asked.

"Fuck yo-" Dally twisted his arm tighter and almost laughed when Curly let out a painful squeak.

"I ain't messin' around, Curly," he said.

"She ain't your girl no more," Curly said, gasping. "What the hell do you care?"

"The hell she ain't," Dally growled, shoving him into the wall. His head cracked against the hard surface, but he pulled himself out of Dally's grasp and faced him. "Don't be a fucking smartass, Curly. I don't got the time."

"Guess you didn't have the time to tell your girlfriend you two was quits, either," Curly replied. Dally gritted his teeth at Curly's stupid chuckle and punched him hard in the jaw, knocking Curly into the wall, hitting his head a second time and sending him straight to the ground.

As Curly tried to sit back up, Dally stomped his boot down on his chest, pinning him to the ground.

"What did they talk about?" he asked.

Curly struggled under him, but Dally didn't relent, he pushed his foot harder against him.

"Ask him, man," Curly croaked.

"I'm askin' you."

Struggling for breath, Curly said, "He asked her out."

"What the fuck for?"

"'Cause she's a broad and she's single," Curly said, his hands were frantically trying to pry Dally's boot off of his chest. "Get off!"

Dally pulled his foot back and ran a hand through his hair. Turning back to face Curly, he asked, "What'd she say?"

Curly's lips twisted into a smile, "I don't think she said anything. She got into it with Sylvia right around this time."

"That so?" Dally replied, not amused.

"Man you should have seen it. It was great," Curly went on. "Ellie jumped on her and bam! Sylvia went down and Ellie kicked her ass. Sure, Sylvia got her pretty good a couple times, but -"

"Yeah, I get the fucking picture," Dally said. "Where's he think he's taking her?"

Curly shrugged and then flinched as Dally brought his fist back, threateningly.

"I think Buck's. New Years or something," he said.

Dally backed off, flipping up the collar of his coat and lighting up a cigarette.

"Tell that brother of yours I'm lookin' for him," he said.

"Will do, Winston," Curly said. "And when you see Ellie, tell her I'm next."

Dally didn't need another excuse to hit him, but Curly just offered him one and he couldn't resist. He didn't know if the kid saw it coming- he thought he should have- but Curly fell like a ton of bricks.

_Tender is the night  
__When you hold your baby tight,  
__Tender are the motions_

As she crossed the street, she could see him, the porch lights creating a grossly misplaced halo on his white blond head. As far as she was concerned, he was a dead man walking. The fact that she was smaller and weaker than him wasn't going to be problem tonight. She was going to dig her nails in deep and tear him a new one.

The way he was walking, she could tell he hadn't seen her yet. She quickened her strides, her feet falling quietly on the pavement. She was going to have the first strike.

"Where in the hell do you think you're going?" she called, keeping her pace even as she crossed the street.

He stopped suddenly, pausing under the sickly yellow glow of a streetlight on the corner of St. Louis Street. She could see his eyes roll and his fists clench at his sides. Clenching her own, she stomped up to him and suddenly the air went rushing out of her lungs. Suddenly, looking up at him, she couldn't speak. He hesitated, staring at her like he knew what she was about to say. He seemed to know she had found out, and he was only going to stand there. She suddenly couldn't catch her breath, and the only thing she could do was to attack him.

A lump of tears started to well up in her chest in frustration when she realized she wasn't hurting him, that she couldn't hurt him the way he'd hurt her. All the hits and kicks she could muster weren't doing anything but causing him to back up a few steps. It killed her to know that he could knock her down with one swing, and she couldn't do anything with all that she had.

She wanted to scream when he clamped his hands around her arms, trying to make her stop.

"Ellie," he said her name, and she hated the way it sounded on his lips. "Stop it."

She didn't want to stop, but he pushed her backward and she almost went sprawling backward, barely catching her footing at the last moment.

"I hate you," she said quietly. Regaining sure footing, she moved closer to him again, tiny fists swinging with all the fury she could muster. "I hate you!"

"You don't hate me," he said, giving her a shove back. "You're just pissed off. You don't even know what the fuck is going on, kid."

"The hell I don't," she scoffed. The urge to cry had passed her by and all that remained was her anger and betrayal. She was ready to tear into him.

"No, Ellie, you don't know shit," he corrected, his eyes were hard, glaring at her like it was all her fault.

"I don't know shit? You cheated on me with Sylvia, gave her the damn ring and lied about it," she said, staring at him and hating him for everything he was worth. "Did I get all that right?"

"I didn't give her that damn ring. She took it," he corrected, taking a step toward her.

Resting her hands on her hips, she asked coolly, "And how did she manage to do that? What would have had to be going on in order for her to pry it off of your finger? You certainly aren't dead, so she didn't get it that way."

"I heard she got you good," he said. He was avoiding the subject. He tipped her face up and she jerked her head away and backed up. "Yeah, looks like it."

"Don't touch me," she warned him. "And don't change the subject. Why didn't you tell me?"

_Chasing down the love they need  
__Somewhere in the night_

"Glory," Two-Bit groaned.

"I didn't know Ellie could yell so loud," Soda said, holding the curtain aside.

Steve and Two-Bit both looked at him like he was stupid.

"Are you kidding me?" Steve asked. "She's a firecracker when she wants to be."

"Yeah, and Dally lit the damn fuse," Two-Bit replied, watching the scene unfurl helplessly.

Soda shrugged. "Glad I'm not on the receiving end of that."

Two-Bit kept staring out the window. "Just wait until she's done with him. We ain't gonna get away with this scot-free."

"They're going to wake up the neighborhood," Darry said.

"It's early enough. They're sure gonna attract attention though," he said, watching Dally try to grab her arm, only for her to land a smack to the side of his head. Two-Bit thought he could see steam rising out of Dally's ears, and he started to worry.

"You think he's gonna hurt her? I mean, she's fending for herself, but I don't know how long he's going to take it," he said, looking back at Darry.

Darry kneeled on the couch and watched the scene for a couple of seconds.

"I think she'll manage," he said. "Dally's not stupid enough to hit her."

Steve scoffed. "He ain't that stupid _yet_. He's pretty pissed off and I don't think he takes too kindly to girls trying to smack the shit out of him."

"Darry's right. He won't hit her," Two-Bit said, confidently. "He'd better not hit her. He's done enough."

_It's another world at night  
__When you're ready to be tender._

Dally wondered if she realized how she stood, slightly slumped over, and if she knew how loud she was yelling at him. He figured she didn't notice or she wouldn't be doing it. The way she held her arm across her middle made her look weak, tired almost.

"How could you do it?" she yelled again.

"Do what?" he asked. He was getting annoyed because every time he tried to get a word in edgewise, she interrupted him. "Shit happens, life ain't fair, and all that jazz. Get over it."

Her face scrunched up, and she stood a little straighter.

"Shit happens? Is that your sorry excuse for making me look like a fool?" she asked.

"You did that yourself. You got yourself into that fight at the Dingo, genius," he said, wanting to laugh at her. She didn't do stuff like that, and it amused him that she let her guard down so far as to get into it with Sylvia at the Dingo.

She just stared at him, her mouth open slightly, her head shaking back and forth. She let out a short laugh and said in a tone so different from everything she'd just said, "Why was I the last to know?"

"What?" he asked. That caught him off guard.

"How come I had to find out from Tim? How come you couldn't tell me? If you wanted to break up with me, you could have said something, Dally! But you went behind my back, and I was the last one in all of Tulsa to know," she said, every sentence the volume of her voice escalated.

"Hold on a minute there, Princess, from what I hear, you made a date with fucking Shepard and didn't bat an eye," he yelled back.

"What?" she asked. He was pleased to see her caught off guard. "I … I never … ," she paused for a second before she finally continued, "You heard right."

He laughed, ran a hand through his hair and walked past her, making sure he knocked shoulders with her.

"I'm sure I did. News travels fast when you whore yourself out," he said, knowing without even looking at her that he struck a nerve.

"I'm not finished yet," she yelled, pathetically trying to pull him back.

Violently, he shrugged her away and she stumbled backward, the chain link fence catching her.

"Fuck off," he said curtly.

_You're gonna want me tonight  
__When you're ready to surrender_

The fence sagged under her weight and getting back to her feet was a struggle all its own. She almost made it to her feet when she felt herself get caught, a thin chain pulled at her neck and Ellie remembered the saint medal she was wearing. Working it loose from a piece of the old fence, she stood up and pulled it over her head, ripping out the hairs that had gotten wrapped around the chain in her scuffle with the fence. Balling it up in her fist, she wished she had broken it. Arching her arm back, she launched it at Dally, surprised her aim was good enough to hit him in the back of the head.

"You forgot this," she called after him. "Take it back. I don't want it."

She watched him stop and turn around to pick it up. He held the chain so that it hung freely and slipped it over his head. He reached into his pocket and stared at something in his hand.

"Good, I don't need this piece of shit then," he said, hurling something at her.

She ducked and turned to watch something hit the sidewalk behind her. It slid for a few feet and stopped just before the Curtises gate. When she turned to see if Dally was still standing here, she was dismayed to see that he was gone. She wasn't finished with him, but she could let it stand because she hadn't gotten a chance to start in on the others yet.

Turning around she walked back toward the Curtises. She had to blow off more steam and it was the guys' turn. Tim said he was there whenever Dally took Sylvia upstairs at Buck's and Two-Bit probably knew more than he did about it all. As far she figured, if Two-Bit knew, the others had to know too.

She stopped, though, when she saw the streetlight glinting off of the small silver object Dally threw back at her. Crouching down, she picked up the lighter she'd bought him for Christmas. Turning it over in her hand, she ran her thumb over the once smoothly polished silver that was now marred by deep scratches from skidding across the sidewalk. He always seemed to be able to do more damage to her than she ever could do to him, and it wasn't fair.

_And in the hard light of an angry sun  
__No one remembers what was said or done,  
__Tender are the words they choose  
__You win, I win, we lose.

* * *

_

A/N: Sorry for the delay in posting and thanks for sticking around! 

What does Ellie have in store for the guys when she gets a chance to talk to them? And what does Tim have up his sleeve for this New Year's party with Ellie?


	29. Stop

**Disclaimer: We don't own the boys, but S.E. Hinton does. We just play with them and thank our luck stars that she ever dreamed them up. We also do not own matchbox twenty's "Stop." **

* * *

_Yes, it's true that I believe  
__I'm weaker than I used to be_

The light from the front window and the porch washed over her. It caught on the scratched silver of the lighter she'd spent a pretty penny on, and then had thrown back into her face. Looking up from the defective token, she caught four pairs of eyes watching her. Three of them scattered when they realized they were caught, and the fourth moved away a bit slower.

Taking one more look at the lighter, she threw it as hard and far as she could away from her. She heard it land with a dull thud when it hit the ground somewhere out of her line of sight.

Storming up the steps, she grabbed the screen door, threw it open and walked inside. Darry was standing in the hallway, his broad frame leaning against the wall near the kitchen. He pointed, subtly, into the kitchen, but Ellie didn't need his help to find the Stooges.

"Ellie!" Steve welcomed warmly, cards in his hands. "Where you been?"

Her head went back and forth slowly, her eyes narrowed and she reached across the table and snatched the cards out of his hands.

"Are you mad about something?" he asked. She wanted to knock the smug grin off of his face, but it wasn't Steve she wanted to tear apart right then; it was the unusually quiet Two-Bit to her right.

"Cool it, Steve," Two-Bit said.

"You knew!" Ellie yelled at him. "Tim said you were there and that you talked to him before he took her upstairs. How could you not tell me?"

He looked up at her and she could see the remorse on his face, but it wasn't enough.

"El, I tried to. I tried to talk him out of it and I tried to tell you, but –"

"But you didn't!" she cried.

"It ain't all his fault, Ellie," Soda piped up.

"Were you there?" she asked, icily.

"No," he replied, looking at his hands and across the table at Steve. "But Two-Bit tried to tell you. It just wasn't that easy."

"What wasn't easy about it? You're supposed to be my friends," she blasted. "And all three of you knew, didn't you?"

"God, Ellie, you act like you didn't see this coming," Steve interjected. "I told you he'd screw you over. He may be my buddy, but that don't mean I have to respect the way he works. You weren't nothin' special to him, even if you were friends before."

"So, why didn't you tell me?" she asked. "Or did you just want to rub in my face, Steve Randle, that I got to find out last? How come I had to find out from Tim?"

"Yeah, about that," Steve said. "What's going on with you and Shepard? Evie said she heard someone talkin' that you were going out with him on Friday night."

"What the hell do you care?" she snapped.

Steve stood up and Ellie knew it was an attempt to intimidate her, but he couldn't do anything. He wouldn't.

"Are you out of your fucking mind?"

"Cool it, Steve," Two-Bit piped up.

"I can't even look at you guys right now. I don't get how you could be there, see what was going on and not have the decency to tell me!"

She backed up a few steps; the energy she had left after the fight with Dallas was waning. This was all too much. These guys were her friends, but at the moment, they felt further from that than anything. Dally was the one who messed up, but they went along with it. She believed that Two-Bit may have tried to tell her, but it didn't change the fact that he didn't.

_I wear my heart out on my sleeve  
__And I forget the rest of me_

"Do you hear that?" Johnny asked, suddenly stopping just shy of the gate.

Pony stood stock-still and listened. Someone was yelling, the voice crying against strained vocal cords. It wasn't a strange sound in their neighborhood, but it was the familiarity of the voice that made them both stop. Looking through the front window Pony could see her in the living room, spitting venom to whomever was unlucky enough to piss her off.

"Glory," Johnny said in a hushed voice. "She's loud."

"She's mad," Pony said, pushing the gate open and heading toward the porch. He turned back when he realized Johnny wasn't following him. "You comin'?"

Johnny hesitated for a second and shook his head. "No. I think we both oughta wait out here. Ain't no reason to add to it."

Pony slowed at that reasoning and stopped completely when he heard a loud bang inside and feet stomped in the general direction of the front door. Stepping out of the way, Ellie nearly barreled him over as she came rushing out the door.

"What's the rush, Ellie?" he asked. She ignored him as she stomped down the steps.

"Ellie?" Johnny asked. She ignored him too, and he just shrugged at Pony as the gate slammed behind her.

"Would you stop being such a _girl_?" Steve yelled after her as he stormed out of the house. He glanced around, not seeing Ellie. "Where the hell'd she go?"

Pony pointed up the street. Following Steve down the steps, he asked, "What's going on?"

Steve spun on his heel and towered over him. "Why don't you mind your own fucking business, kid?"

Pony stopped beside Johnny and watched Steve stride down the street, trying to catch up with her. He heard the door open and saw Two-Bit walk outside with a barefoot Soda padding out behind him.

"What's going on?" he asked his brother.

Soda shrugged, sitting on the top step and lighting a cigarette. Two-Bit pulled on his coat as he walked down the path. He clapped Pony on the back and said seriously, "Don't get involved with girls just yet, Pone. I can't deal with anymore of this right now."

Two-Bit walked to his car, and Pony turned to Johnny. "What's going on?"

Johnny shook his head. "I know as much as you, and that ain't sayin' much."

_I'm more frightened everyday  
__Someone will take the hope I have away_

"Ellie, I swear to God," Steve swore, taking large strides to catch up with her. "Would you just relax? Why is this such a big deal?"

She kept walking and he hesitated a moment, wondering if he should even waste his breath on her. She was pissed off and odds were she wouldn't even listen to him, not that she had heard much of what had come out of his mouth in the last few months anyway. Dashing across the street and through the yards, he decided to give it one last try.

"You know, you can't just walk away from shit when you don't feel like dealing with it," he called, running up to her as she crossed her front lawn.

Spinning around, she faced him and stared him down.

"You're just as bad as he is," she accused, pointing a less than threatening finger at him.

"You got your feelings hurt, Ellie. Quit acting like it's the end of the world," he said.

"I can deal with that," she spat. "What I can't deal with is everyone knowing and not telling me!"

In all his life, he had never been so tired of her. Everyone walked on eggshells around her because they didn't want to hurt her feelings or piss her off, but she was the one who got herself into her current situation, and he thought she should be man enough to deal with it.

"You're so damn quick to blame Two-Bit, but did you ever think that maybe Dally shoulda been the one to tell you? Or are you going to defend him about that, too?"

"I expect that out of him. What I don't expect are the people I thought were my friends hiding it all from me," she retorted. "Is it some sort of stupid boy code to not tell the girl? Is that you guys sticking up for him because you're all buddies or something?"

"Yeah, that's exactly it, Ellie," he said sarcastically. "And that's what you get for hanging around a bunch of guys and then dating one of them. Nobody told you because every time someone gives you a piece of bad news you go ape-shit on everyone and you turn into a complete bitch."

There was nothing like the truth to make someone stand a little straighter. She tried to paint an indignant expression on her face, but he knew he had her.

"So, I'm a bitch?" she questioned, hands on her hips. "I've been all kinds of things lately, haven't I? And now I'm a bitch. Anything else, Steve?"

"How in the hell did you expect things to end up with Dallas? I told you from day one it was a bad idea. He ain't a good guy and being friends with him like you are … were … whatever you are now, didn't make a lick of difference," he told her. "Quit acting like your little heart is broken and get over yourself. Everyone is fucking tired of your shit."

"Then why'd you add to it?" she yelled back.

"Why do you _keep_ adding to it?" he asked. "What's up with you and Shepard?"

"_That_ is none of your business," she declared. "Nothing is any of your business."

"Getting into it with Tim Shepard ain't going to be any different than getting into it with Dally," he told her. "Hell, it's only gonna be worse!"

"How do you even know that? You don't know Tim," she blasted.

"And you do? When was the last time you hung out with him? Oh, that's right, you made out with him awhile back. Do I have that right?" he asked.

She huffed for a second, struggling to find something to say to the contrary, but she came up blank.

"Maybe I oughta go warn Evie what it's like to be around you," she said. "Does she know what an asshole you are?"

"That ain't none of your business," he said, throwing her words back into her face.

"Then stay the hell out of mine," she cried, spinning on her heel and heading toward the front door.

"Yeah, go in and cry about it. And don't forget that I was right," he called to her back, acrimoniously. "I'm sure Shepard is going to give a damn."

The door slammed and he was left standing on the lawn alone. He turned to leave and wondered when she'd turned into such a drama queen.

_You'd better stop using me up,  
_'_Cause I've had enough_

Glancing around the living room, she was glad no one was lounging around. Her mom was working and Jimmy was … out. Ellie didn't want to give it anymore thought than that.

She walked into her room and slammed the door shut.

Ellie leaned against the door and sank to the floor, resting her head in her hands. It was all such a mess. Dally was one thing, but the guys had betrayed her too. Steve calling her names reminded her of the millionth reason why she needed girlfriends. Pulling her head back, it hit the door with a loud bang. The throbbing it caused wasn't welcome but the urge to hit something was swelling. She drew her hand back and hit the door with a closed fist. It made her feel a little better.

Standing up, she looked around and wondered if there was anything else that could take her anger out on, something she could actually damage. She tore her jacket off and wadding it up, threw it across the room, taking her lamp off the table by her bed with a loud bang and leaving the room in a shroud of semi-darkness, lit only by the streetlamp outside that came in through the open curtains.

She spotted her desk, filled with books and papers and shoved everything off with one big swipe. Books hit the wall and papers fluttered to the ground in a messy heap. She swung her foot and kicked at the pile, throwing papers back into the air and uncovering her copy of _Frankenstein_ for her English class.

Picking it up, she studied it in the light coming through the window. She gritted her teeth as she looked at the cover and, winding back her arm, she threw it across the room with all her might, hitting the small mirror on her closet door. It rattled on the nail it hung on before gravity took over and sent it crashing to the floor, busting the mirror into several unrecognizable slivers of glass.

As soon as the mirror hit the floor, she felt all of her energy leave her in an almost audible _whoosh_. Falling onto her bed, she buried her face in the mattress and cried until she couldn't see and couldn't hear and couldn't feel anything anymore.

The only problem was she could see and she could hear and she still felt everything as vividly as she felt it before. Maybe it was even worse now. That thought only made her cry harder.

_Yes, there are times I've been afraid  
__And there's no harm in that, I pray_

He could tell she was avoiding him, the way she kept walking up and down aisles faster than he could follow. Once he got close enough to ask her a question, the bell over the door jingled and she'd darted around him again to help a customer.

Pony was about to give up completely and go home when he noticed her walk toward the back of the store. Deciding to give it one last try, he followed her and ducked into the little closet-sized area that served as a break room. She was hunched over a sink, running water over her hand.

"You're not supposed to be in here," she said, not turning around.

It was a vain attempt to ward him off, and he wasn't biting.

"What'd you do?" he asked, leaning on the wall instead of leaving.

She shrugged, and he looked down, noticing a cut on her palm.

"I cut it on a piece of glass the other day and I just split it back open," she said hurriedly, grabbing a towel from a small pile and wrapping it around her hand. She sighed and glanced up at him again. "What do you want, Pone?"

"I just wanted to see if you were okay, that's all," he said quietly. "After everything, I mean."

"What, you don't agree with all of them? You don't think I'm a bitch like Steve thinks?" she asked, tossing the towel into the sink and staring at him. He'd never been afraid of her, but he was right then.

"No," he replied. "You're not."

She seemed to believe that because she didn't look as angry. "Just tell me you didn't know," she pleaded.

"No one told me," he said. "I woulda told you, El."

Her eyes rolled but subtly. The bell jingled out in the store, and he heard someone call her name.

"I gotta go," she said, moving by him before he had a chance to say anything else.

When he stepped back out into the store, he stopped. Tim Shepard was leaning against a rack of soup cans, Ellie stood beside him. He towered over her and he could only hear bits and pieces of the conversation.

"It'll be a good time. And Dally'll be there," he said.

Tim seemed to notice him standing there and nodded his way. "Curtis."

Ellie spun around, her cheeks a rosy shade of red. The scratches on her face curiously blended in.

"I'll see you tomorrow night, Ellie," Tim said, looking back at her. "Pick you up around eight."

"Okay," she said, nervousness in her voice.

He nodded at both of them and sauntered out of the store. Pony waited for the bell to chime before he said anything, but she turned around first.

"Are you gonna run home and tell Steve about that?" she asked as if it were a dare.

"I wasn't going to," he defended.

She pursed her lips and gave him an apologetic half smile. She leaned against the shelf and stared at the cut on her hand.

"I'm sorry, Pony," she said.

"It's okay. I know you don't mean nothin' by it," he assured her.

"Yeah," she said, her voice sounding far away. "I gotta go back to work. I'll see you later, Pony."

She eased herself off of the shelf and turned toward the back of the store and disappeared from his sight.

_I'm ready to forget the reasons  
__That keep me here_

The bathroom mirror reported back an image she was all too familiar with, and one she had no idea how to fix. Her skirt was light blue with a stupid plaid design that she hated. It was also hanging somewhere around her knees which she also hated. She looked down and pulled the hem of her skirt a couple of inches above her knees. She let it fall with a sigh. There wasn't enough time to hem them before Tim showed up, and she felt foolish doing it anyway. No one was going to be looking at her legs. No one was really going to be looking any higher up either.

She glanced at the dress she'd dug out of the back of her closet and hung by the hook on the door. A yellow, short-sleeved sweater dress stared back at her. It was plain, but she hadn't worn it for a while because she hadn't had a reason _to_ wear it, and she'd been considering it for the last hour. The blue was doing nothing for her anyhow; she didn't think that yellow could do much worse.

Quickly, she changed into the dress and was pleased to see it didn't make it down to her knees. Though it came up short, it still wasn't as short as half the girls wore theirs on a Friday night at Buck's. It was as good as she could do, however, and it was more than she had done for Dally. For that reason alone, she hoped he would show up to the party.

Looking up, she looked back at herself in the mirror again. Her hair was wavy thanks to the sponge curlers she'd borrowed from her mom and slept in the night before. Brushing and pulling with her fingers, she tied a band around her usually boring locks, and tied a low, side sweeping ponytail. Digging through a basket of curlers, scarves and bows, Ellie pulled a long white ribbon out and tied it around the band. She smiled back at her refection and then frowned. She still needed make-up and that was one arena she wasn't very good at.

Opening the cabinet, she stared at her mother's make-up bag. Carefully pulling it down, she started digging through it and thought about what she could do. From what she'd seen, the girls at Buck's liked to wear a lot. Maybe not all of them, but enough to make her feel like she had to. Even her mom liked to doll herself up every morning. She said it helped with tips, but Ellie thought she only looked silly with her eyes painted as dark as they were every morning. She worked in a diner, after all, not a nightclub.

She found a bottle of black eyeliner and stared at it and then at her eyes. Her mom's eyes were always so dark and so thick with the stuff and now that she thought about it, Evie Bradley's eyes usually were, too. On the weekends, at least.

Setting the brush against her eyelid, she tried to trace a straight, even line but that was difficult. The slightest movement of her hand ruined her work and she pulled the brush away and stared at the black smear on her eyelid. Annoyed, she wiped it off and tried again … and again. The third time she threw the liner back in the bag and pulled out the tube of mascara. As far as she could tell, it added enough black to her eyes and she called it quits. That was enough for her.

"Well, well," her mother said as Ellie stepped out of the bathroom and walked past her. "What are you all dressed up for?"

Ellie tugged at her dress, already feeling uncomfortable. "I'm going out tonight," she said.

"On a date?" she asked, staring at her makeup.

Ellie was hesitant to reply but slowly nodded. "I borrowed some of your makeup," she said ruefully. She almost wished her mom would be upset enough to tell her to march right back into the bathroom, wash it off and to stay in her room all night.

No such luck.

Abby nodded, sizing her up. She reached out a helping hand and dabbed around Ellie's eye. "Not bad, but you've got a little bit of stray eyeliner."

Ellie rubbed at it blindly. "Thanks. I thought I took all of it off. I don't know how you use it. I can't make a straight line with it to save my life."

Abby gave her a rare smile. "Takes some practice but you'll get the hang of it."

Ellie shifted awkwardly in her dress. Guilt was weighing heavily in her stomach. Whenever Abby started acting so motherly, she never knew how to react, and now with the weight of Jimmy's two-timing on her shoulders, she felt obligated to tell her. The thought of no one telling her about Dally nearly pressed her into the floor, it was awful to be the last to know.

Abigail was heading to the living room, but Ellie couldn't take it anymore.

"Mom?"

"Yeah?" Abby turned around, shuffling a stack of bills.

"I need to-" She snapped her mouth shut when she heard the front door open and Jimmy drop his lunch bucket to the floor in his trademarked loud entrance.

"What is it, El?" Abby asked, turning her full attention to her daughter.

Jimmy walked down the hallway, stopping to study Ellie's makeover with a mocking look on his face.

Ellie swallowed hard, thinking of something else she needed to ask to take the place of her ratting on Jimmy.

"Are you going anywhere tonight?" she asked.

Abby shook her head. "No, I think we're just staying in tonight, right, Jim?"

Jimmy nodded in agreement, staring at Ellie like he was reading her mind.

"Do you think I could borrow your coat tonight?" she asked. It was a dumb question when she had a perfectly fine coat hanging in her closet. Abby didn't seem to think much of it, because she nodded.

"Sure, kid, it's by the door. Don't stay out too late tonight, huh?" Abby said. Jimmy scoffed but she either ignored it or didn't hear it.

Ellie nodded and ducked into her bedroom. She listened to see if Jimmy would say anything, but the hallway was quiet. She jumped when she heard the doorbell ring.

"Ellie! It's for you!" her mom called.

Ellie's eyes widened and she took a deep breath. Glancing into the largest sliver of mirror she could salvage- the reason for the bandage that was still on her hand- she decided she had to like what she saw. She grabbed her purse and headed down the hall, slowing to a sudden halt when she saw Steve standing there.

"What are you doing here?" she asked. She noticed her mom had gone back into the kitchen, so she grabbed his arm and dragged him towards the front door.

"Don't go through with this, Ellie," Steve said.

Ellie shrugged, grabbing her mom's coat from the hook by the door. "You can't tell me what to do, Steve."

Steve sighed in exasperation. "I just don't think it's a good idea for you to go to Buck's with Tim on your arm. That ain't smart. Besides, I know why you're doing it."

"Well, considering how you're _right_ about _everything_," she exaggerated, "you're probably right about that too. And you have no idea what I'm doing."

"You're doing it to get back at Dally. Plain and simple," he said, crossing his arms and looking down at her.

"There ain't nothin' plain and simple about it," she said. "Don't you have a date tonight?"

She wanted him off of her back for once.

"I'm pickin' her up soon, but really Ellie. Don't do something stupid just because it'll make Dally mad," he said. She could almost pin point the moment where he started pleading with her. He didn't actually believe she'd do it.

He looked hopeful and Ellie gladly dashed his hopes by continuing. "Well, that's too bad. I'm doing it anyway and Tim's _not_ a bad guy. I think I can look out for myself and even if I can't, that isn't your concern."

She never thought she would be so happy as to see Tim's Bel-Air pull up in front of her house. If he asked her, she wasn't going to lie; she didn't think he would even show up. She wasn't even concerned as to how he knew where she lived.

"Bye, Mom," she called before she hustled out the door, tugging the coat on.

"Ellie, don't do it," Steve said as he followed her toward the car. "I'm not going to bail you out of this one."

"You've never bailed me out of anything," she called over her shoulder. "And you still owe me an apology."

"Don't expect one."

"Then leave me alone."

She climbed into the car and slammed the door shut without even acknowledging Tim. She stopped Steve in his tracks when she gave him a smart-aleck wave goodbye.

"What's that all about?" Tim asked.

"Nothing," she answered, hoping he wasn't too curious.

She decided he wasn't when he hit the gas and squealed the tires. She knew she was in for a wild ride into the new year.

_Good God, you need a little love  
__While you find what you think  
__You're gonna be, Child._

* * *

_A/N: Oh, Lord, here we go. Ellie and Tim should be an interesting match, if they'll even mix well. **Stay Tuned: Be on the look out for our up and coming side fic: Front Page Drive-In News. It'll chronicle everything that is Tim and Ellie that won't show up in Tender. It'll be a good time ...**_


	30. Harder to Breathe

**Disclaimer: You know the drill. We don't own the Outsiders, only Susie does. We also do not own "Harder to Breathe" by Maroon 5.**

_"This fic/chapter is being posted as part of "Good Fic Day," an effort to raise the quality of writing here. We hope to encourage more writers to improve the quality of their own fan fiction - spell check, grammar check, keep the gang in character, outline, plot and don't use Mary Sues. Good fan fiction requires effort, and we would like to encourage other writers to rise to the challenge of producing better fan fiction, not only for our readers, but for S.E. Hinton, who created the wonderful book we are trying to honour."_ --Once again, well put Mars._

* * *

_

_How dare you say that my behavior is unacceptable?  
__So condescending, unnecessarily critical_

Dally glowered from his corner table at Buck's as Sylvia tried to contort herself to fit in the small space he left for her by his side. He wasn't in the mood for her antics. Not tonight of all nights.

It was New Year's Eve and every grease in Tulsa seemed to have piled into Buck's for whatever reason. Dally snarled his nose at the stupid idea of celebrating a new year. It was just going to be another year of bullshit, just like the current year was and the one before and the one before. Why celebrate another one? Hell, why didn't they all just off themselves when the clock struck midnight? Dally's smile was grim as he took another drink of his beer.

"Baby, why don't we dance or something?" Sylvia had been whining in his ear all evening like some stupid bee that wouldn't just leave him the fuck alone. She had pleaded all week for them to go to the stupid bash and he only complied because he had bigger fish to fry.

The guys had been on his case all week, mad about what he'd done and even more about Ellie and Tim going out. Apparently it was all his fault that shit happened and now somebody had to make it right. Well, to hell with that. Things happened and life wasn't perfect and that's all there was to it. It wasn't his fault, but he'd be happy to place the blame on Ellie for making it such a big deal. Christ, he didn't make her stand out in the middle of the fucking road and yell at him. He didn't even know she could yell like that. He hadn't missed the nosy assholes down the street that were looking out their curtains as he walked away from her yelling up a storm, either.

Word had gotten around that this was where Tim and Ellie were heading for their date, and he'd be damned if he wasn't going to keep an eye on whatever plans Tim had up his sleeve. He clearly had something on his mind by the way he cleared the table of the loud, drunken kids that had previously occupied it. The table just so happened to be located directly in his line of vision. It was also conveniently located in the corner, slightly further from the crowd than the rest of the tables.

"Dally!"

"Christ," he muttered, turning his head to look at Sylvia, pouting up a storm. "What?"

"Did you come to this party with me or Tim on your goddamn arm?" she huffed, arms crossed as she leaned back in her chair.

Dally rolled his eyes and took another sip of his beer. He was going to need a lot of liquor if he wanted to get through the night.

"You're the one that dragged me to this fucking party," he began, but she cut him off by standing up.

"And I'm sorry I did," she said, snapping her gum and grabbing her purse. "If you want to sit there like that, you stupid dick, be my guest. I'm going to have fun tonight, with or without you."

"Just like you always do," he replied with a cruel smirk. His reflexes weren't fast enough and he caught her purse to the side of the head when she swung it at him. He gave her the finger as she stomped away to find some poor soul to bed down with for the evening. He turned his attention back to his beer, wondering if he expected any different from her.

Tim caught his attention when he leaned over to Ellie and said something in her ear. She smiled that stupid fucking smile of hers and Dally felt like punching a wall. Or Tim.

He didn't know why it all pissed him off so much and he didn't know who he was more pissed at: Tim or Ellie. At least he knew where Tim was coming from by asking her out. It was a low blow and one he had never pulled with Sylvia, which he couldn't figure out for the life of him, but it was still a Shepard thing to do.

Ellie, on the other hand, had no reasons to be going out with him and she knew it. It wasn't like she had anything in common with him. If she thought this was some stupid way to get back at him for whatever she thought he should be sorry for, she had another thing coming. Dallas Winston made no promises to anyone and if Ellie thought otherwise, she was mistaken. She should have known better from the beginning, and it was her own fault that she was so naïve.

When Ellie was watching people dancing in the middle of the room, Tim gave Dally an exaggerated wink and Dally tipped his beer at the asshole before he downed it and headed to the bar to get another one.

_I have the tendency of getting very physical  
So watch your step cause if I do you'll need a miracle_

Dally had just lost a terrible game of pool to one of Brumly's stupid goons, and it just added to his foul mood. He swung by the bar and snatched a bottle of bourbon out of Buck's unsuspecting hand as he poured drinks.

"Winston, I swear to fucking God …" Buck warned, but Dally walked away before he could finish his threat.

He took a swig of the bottle as he weaved through the tables. He was pleased to see Tim look up like he had been expecting him.

"Hey, Winston," he said, sounding overly friendly. "Shit-faced as usual, I see."

"Shepard," Dally replied, nodding in his general direction as he plunked the bottle down on the table and took a seat across from him. He thoroughly ignored Ellie, though he could see her fidget in her seat from the corner of his eye. "Slummin' as usual, I see."

Tim only smirked, his arm resting casually on the back of Ellie's chair. She was staring hard at the bottle of soda she held in her hands.

"It's gonna take a lot more than that to get her in the sack, I'll tell you that much," Dally said matter-of-factly.

He took great pleasure in the way she sat the bottle down like it was a red-hot poker, and he gave Tim a big grin.

"Well, unlike you, Dal, I'm something of a gentleman. Or so I've been told," Tim said, winking at Ellie.

Dally curled his lips back in a snarling grin. "Yeah, well, I don't think Ellie likes gentlemen too much, do ya, El?"

Ellie kept her eyes on the table and Dally wondered what it would take to get a reaction out of her.

He shrugged at Tim. "I don't know, Tim," he said slowly. "I wouldn't get your hopes up too high." He nodded in her direction without looking at her. "She's a tease more than anything."

"And you're an asshole," Tim said calmly. "More than anything."

Dally grinned again. "You'd be surprised, though," he continued. "She's a tease, but once she gets her engine started …" He let out a low whistle. "Whoa, buddy, you better watch out."

Even from the corner of his eye, he could see Ellie's face getting red.

"But I guess you already know that, don't you, Shepard? She seems to like to make out with guys outside of Buck's."

Tim grinned at that comment, seeming to remember all too well kissing Ellie on Buck's porch. "Just thought I'd show her what a real man tastes like."

"You two must have some wild plans for tonight," Dally continued, "'cause I ain't never seen this kid dressed up like this." He turned to face her for the first time since he sat down. "You have fun playin' dress up?"

Ellie stared straight back at him, looking like she was trying hard not to cry.

Dally grinned at her and continued on his rampage. "You got a room rented tonight? If you want, I could take her outside and get her warmed up for you-"

He stopped talking when Ellie suddenly stood up and walked away from the table. He stared at Tim and Tim stared back, neither one seeing where she walked off to. Dally was slightly disappointed; he was hoping for a bigger reaction out of Tim, but the one he got out of Ellie was good enough.

He smiled before he nodded in the direction Ellie had headed off in. "What's the matter with her? Something I said?"

Tim smirked back at him. "Probably the smell. That's a lot of bullshit you're slingin' over here when that kid didn't do anything to you."

Dally shrugged lazily and took another swig from the bottle in front of him.

"Shouldn't you be keeping an eye on your girlfriend?" Tim asked, gesturing across the room at Sylvia slow dancing with Bridges. "You went through an awful lot of trouble to get that damn broad back and you just let Bridges have her back?"

"Shouldn't you be keeping an eye on yours?" Dally retorted.

"If you hadn't wandered over here to make fun of her, she'd still be here," Tim said. He was so composed it was starting to piss Dally off.

"She needs to fucking grow up," he replied.

"And you need to fucking grow a pair," Tim said with a smirk.

"What the hell's your problem, Shepard?"

Tim grinned and held his hands up in mock surrender. "I don't think I'm the one with a problem. You're the one picking a fight with some chick. But that's just like you, buddy," Tim continued, "to blame everybody else when you fuck up."

Dally stood up, trying his damnedest to stand as steady as possible but that was getting harder the more he drank and the more pissed off he got.

"Go run after her, Shepard, and put up with her shit. Maybe it'll get her into the sack a lot faster," he said, sloshing bourbon out of the bottle. "Stupid, fucking broad."

_What you are doing is screwing things up inside my head;  
__You should know better you never listened to a word I said._

"Two-Bit, can you please focus?"

Two-Bit reluctantly turned his head away from the corner table and back to Kathy and gave her a smile.

"Sure, baby."

Kathy looked over his shoulder and raised her eyebrow. He mocked her and grinned when she cracked a smile.

"Y'all worry about her so much, she can't even go out on a date without you keeping an eye on her," Kathy observed. "She dated Dally. I think she can handle herself."

Two-Bit shrugged slowly. It wasn't really her he was worried about, truth be told. Sure, he was nervous about her getting involved with Tim of all people, but he was a little more worried about Dally's reaction to the whole thing. The way he was sitting, brooding over it all didn't look like good news. Things looked even worse when Sylvia beat him with her purse before she hightailed it on over with a couple boys from the Tigers, probably on the prowl for Will Bridges.

Steve wanted to go to Buck's to keep an eye out and make sure nothing went down, but he and Soda had plans with Evie and that blonde girl Soda was so crazy about. Two-Bit had only met her a couple times, but he was pretty sure she wouldn't last too long in a place like Buck's. It was probably for the best because Steve seemed so out of his head about the whole thing between Ellie and Dally that he would just make everything worse.

Kathy seemed to mistake his thoughtfulness as worry and she rested her arm along his shoulders and leaned into him. He added in a sigh for good measure, and she kissed his jaw.

"I just worry, you know?" Two-Bit asked, hardly able to keep a straight face. He took another sip of his beer, hoping somebody else would be keeping an eye on Dally tonight, because he was sure as hell going to be busy, the way Kathy's hand kept kneading the small of his back. "Someone's gotta look out for that kid and Steve went overboard on it."

"Well, you need to worry about something else," she suggested, nipping at his neck. "She'll take care of herself. She ain't a baby."

He finished his beer before he turned to Kathy. Grabbing her hand, he pulled her off the stool and led her out into the crowded, make-shift dance floor. "I think I can find something to take my mind off of it," he drawled in her ear as they danced closer than half the other kids around them dared to dance.

With Kathy breathing down his neck, it was hard to really focus on anything else, but Two-Bit was trying to find Ellie in the crowd. He groaned audibly when he saw Dally hovering around her and Tim.

"What?" Kathy asked, annoyed.

"Dal's trying to break up their date and-" he paused and watched Ellie scoot out of her chair and push her way through the crowds, "and he pushed too far. I'll be back."

He dropped his hands from her hips but she caught his arm.

"You aren't thinking about going over there are you?" she asked.

"No, I'm going to see if she's okay," he replied,

"That's what I meant. Trust me, she's not going to talk to you." She glanced down the hallway Ellie went down and looked back at him. "I'll go talk to her."

"You'd do that, baby?" he asked, pulling her close.

She wriggled out of his grasp and started backing away.

"I don't know how she puts up with all of you all the time and always in her business. I would go crazy," she said.

Two-Bit watched her head back for the bathrooms and he made his way for the bar. Throwing his order in for a beer, he turned and watched Tim and Dally still hashing it out. He wanted to go over there and knock them both senseless: Dally for doing whatever it was he did to make her get up and leave and Tim for not going after her.

He was nearly left speechless when Dally walked away from Tim without throwing punches and instead wobbled over to Sylvia who was wrapped up rather tightly in Will's arms on the dance floor. There were words between the three of them, none of which Two-Bit could hear over the music, but he didn't need to hear them; he could figure them out on his own. Dally swung a punch, but Will was ready for it and socked Dally in the side. Dally was drunk, about to get his ass beat and all over a girl he didn't want to be there with in the first place.

Deciding he didn't want to watch the fight or help Dally out, he turned around and nursed his beer until Kathy came back.

"Oh, that's real nice," she said, watching Dally and Will throw punches. "I leave for five minutes and this happens. Buck shouldn't let either one of them in here."

"I'm sure that won't happen anytime soon," he commented. "How's Ellie?"

She sighed, leaning beside him on the bar. "She's fine."

"That's it? She's fine?"

Kathy rolled her eyes and then gave him a long look.

"She's fine. Tim's with her, and you need to focus on something else tonight. And that something is me and not her. She's fine," she said, demanding his attention. "And now that that's taken care of, we can have a good time now."

She grabbed his hand and yanked him back out onto the dance floor.

Pulling her close, he spoke softly into her ear, "Thanks, baby."

_When it gets cold outside and you got nobody to love  
__You'll understand what I mean_

It was disgusting. Everyone in the room started counting down to midnight and in 10 seconds everyone would blow their tops over something as stupid as a new year.

Ellie was sitting up on a barstool, with Tim behind her looking bored as all get-out. She didn't look too thrilled either. With five seconds to go, Dally was certain that she wouldn't kiss him. That little broad was faking everything tonight by going out with him and Dally knew why. He wasn't stupid.

The clock struck midnight, and everyone started hollering and blowing on stupid noisemakers and pissing him off. He didn't jump up and cheer; he just watched Tim and Ellie. He wanted to watch her squirm when everyone else got their New Year's kiss and she only sat there like a bump on a log.

Tim slid an arm around her waist, and she turned and looked up at him.

"She ain't gonna kiss you, Timmy," he said, under his breath.

Tim leaned down and kissed her. Dally wanted to be sick, especially when they broke apart and she was smiling.

"Fuck this," he said to no one.

Pushing his way to the bar he honed in on Joann Wesley who was standing awkward and alone. It didn't take long to convince her that she shouldn't spend New Year's alone. She followed him upstairs and fell into bed with him like a dog in heat.

_Is it painful to learn  
__That it's me that has all the control?_

When he woke up the next morning, he stared at the brunette for a long time before he figured out who she was and why she was in his bed. By the time it hit him who she was, he already remembered Ellie and Tim and thought about pounding on doors to find out which room he'd fucked her in and give her a hard time.

He sat up too quickly though, and fell back down on the bed, wondering why he was so sore.

"Fuck," he muttered.

Joann stirred beside him and opened her eyes.

"Mornin'," she said, her voice raspy.

"Get out," he ordered her.

She lifted her head off of the pillow and glared at him. "What?"

"Get the fuck out," he repeated harshly.

She started huffing and swearing at him under her breath as she climbed out of bed and threw her clothes on.

"Happy New Year, Dally," she said sarcastically as she threw the door open and slammed it shut after her.

Curling up under the blankets and burying his head under the pillow, he muttered to himself, "Happy fucking New Year, indeed."

_Does it thrill, does it sting  
__When you feel what I bring  
__And you wish that you had me to hold?_

* * *

A/N: Happy Good Fic day! May well-thought out plots, proper grammar and no Mary-Sues make your day better. 

Be sure to watch out for our new side fic, _Front Page Drive-In News!_


	31. By The Way

**Disclaimer: **We don't own most of these characters or the world. S.E. Hinton owns them, we just borrow and play with them. And' by the way' (ha ha play on words), the song belongs to Hinder. 

_In the winding down hours,  
I let your heart down again_

A cold drizzle started in, little drops falling and hitting her head, making her scalp tingle. The new year hadn't brought a fresh start like Ellie hoped it would. It didn't bring much more than dreary weather and more school. There was also the isolation she'd caused between herself and her friends, but that was another story all its own. She hadn't seen Dallas since her date with Tim, and she didn't mind one bit.

Pulling her coat tighter around herself, she leaned as far back against the glass door as she could. The lights from inside the store kicked off and Ellie sighed and figured she shouldn't be so surprised her mom was late picking her up again. In a couple of minutes, if Joe wasn't doing paperwork in the back office, he would pull around and see her still standing there and offer her a ride she wouldn't take. Her mom was coming; she was just running late as usual. She wondered if he would leave or offer to wait with her. Considering everything that had happened in the last few months, he would offer to wait. 

A stiff breeze blew against her, sending a spray of cold rain into her face. She hitched the collar of her coat up, tucking her chin as far into it as she could. Another couple of minutes ticked by and she wished she had been smart enough to bring the new novel they were reading in English with her instead of thinking about how she still hadn't finished _To Kill a Mockingbird_. She was certain her English teacher was the dumbest woman in the world for asking the class to finish reading that one over winter break.

A car pulled up and stopped with a sudden jerk in front of the store. Ellie didn't recognize it and tried to peer inside from where she stood, but she couldn't see anything with the rain in her face and the dark evening closing in on her. She was contemplating making a run for it when the driver's door opened. She hadn't had many problems with the Socs other than the typical things they pulled in schoolwith seemingly everyone,but she wouldn't be surprised if they had been bored since school started back and were out looking for kicks. 

A small wave of relief washed over her, briefly though, as Dallas popped his head out and looked over the car at her.

She took a deep breath to calm herself before she accused, "You scared me."

"Get in," he said.

Ellie rolled her eyes and just stood there. She wasn't going anywhere with him.

"Why are you here?" she snapped. Dallas Winston was one of the last people she wanted to see right then.

His lips twisted into a sadistic grin.

"Get in. I'll take you home," he offered.

"I have a ride," she told him, matter-of-factly.

He looked past her into the dark store and smirked.

"Timmy's late," he said.

"Tim's not picking me up," she insisted. "My mom is, and she's just running a little late."

The wind picked up again, driving more rain under the awning she was standing beneath, and Dally snickered.

"Your mom ain't gonna show," he said.

Ellie gritted her teeth and tried to ignore that he was there in a warm, dry car, and that he was probably right. It wouldn't have been the first time she'd forgotten to pick her up andit certainly wouldn't have been the first time she was late either.

"Just get into the fucking car," he said, his voice sharpening. He sounded agitated, but she wondered if it was because he was going to apologize for the way he treated her at Buck's party a few days ago. He wasn't used to saying he was sorry for anything, and it seemed like the cause of some anxiety from him. She knew that wasn't it, though. 

She looked up and down the street for a long moment, hoping she'd see another pair of headlights heading her way, but the streets were dark while the rain was only falling harder. Dally slid back into the driver's seat and revved the engine, making Ellie just about jump out of her skin.

With a heavy sigh, she considered her options and decided to get out of the rain and into the car. She knew as soon as she sat down that she would regret her choice. A run-in with Michael or some other Soc may not be the worst thing that could happen to her.

Pulling the door shut, she sat back in the seat and looked around. It was a nice car; it was a car Dally had no business being in. She knew it was stolen, even without having noticed the screwdriver in the ignition.

"Whose car is this?" she asked.

Instead of answering her, he threw it into gear and pulled out into the street.

"Dally, where did you get it?" she asked again, a little more forcefully than before.

"I borrowed it," he said. He reached between his seat and the door and pulled out a half empty bottle of beer. "Quit being such a nag."

She stared wide-eyed at the beer bottle and turned her gaze back on the street. He'd been drinking, and he wasn't taking her in the direction of home.

"Where are you going?" she asked.

He looked at her, and as he turned his head, the car started to pull to the right and Ellie screamed as the wheels hit the curb and hopped it. Dally righted the car, pulling it with a rough jerk back onto the street, but he didn't pull it over far enough. Their car rubbed metal with one parked on the street, knocking the side mirror off completely of Dally's hot car.

Ellie scooted over as far as she could and watched the scene, terrified. Dally threw a heavy arm over her shoulders, and she threw it off, considering death would be a small price to pay to keep Dally off of her. Seeing the seatbelt hanging out of the corner of her eye, she grabbed it and buckled it in, feeling as though her life depended on it.

"What's wrong with you?" she demanded, trying to keep the fear out of her voice.

With both hands, he gripped the steering wheel and focused on the road in front of him and ignored her. She watched the speedometer and closed her eyes when she saw the needle climbing with every passing mile.

"Where's Shepard tonight?" he asked flatly.

She barely heard him over the loud beat of her heart in her ears. She didn't think it was possible to be scared of a person she used to think of as her friend.

_Old habits die hard,  
I always end up hating the end._

"You two call it quits already?" Dally asked, a bitter chuckle escaped through his lips. "You two put on a hell of show, but that's all it is. A fucking show."

He caught a quick glimpse of her. Her lips were set into a grim line, her eyes focused straight ahead until she let out a low groan when he turned a sharp left into the gravel parking lot outside of Buck's.

He pulled up behind the roadhouse and turned the engine off. Turning, he looked at her and offered her the almost empty bottle of beer. Holding it in front of her face, she knocked it away and sent it flying back into his lap.

"Fuck," he cursed, as the last gulp spilled onto his jeans. "What the fuck is your problem?"

She spun around in her seat and glared at him.

"I thought you said you were taking me home," she said.

"I'll take you home," he said, "after I get through that thick head of yours."

"Take me home," she demanded, crossing her arms across her middle and staring ahead.

He laughed dryly at the way she was pouting. She was nothing but a damn kid with too much on her plate, and now she was throwing a hissy fit because she couldn't handle it all.

Rolling down the window, he tossed the empty bottle out and reached behind her seat and pulled out another. He popped the top off with a church key and flicked it into her lap. She grabbed the cap and threw it back at him. He laughed at her pathetic comeback and knew he was nearing the last straw with her.

"I'll find my own ride home," she told him, reaching to unbuckle her seatbelt.

Dally grabbed the buckle before she could and clamped his fist down on it. He wasn't finished yet.

"Let go," she said.

"And what if I don't?" he replied. "You gonna go tattle to Shepard? Hope he can kick my ass? Right."

Her eyes were wide and anxious, and she kept looking from him to his hand trapping her with the seatbelt.

"I want to ask you a question," he said, letting go of the buckle and settling back in his seat with his beer. "Did you really expect me to buy all this shit with you and Shepard? You think that I don't realize he planned it out just to try and piss me off? He doesn't even give a shit about you."

"Seems to be working good enough," she said. She hit the button and the seat belt snapped back. "You're jealous."

"I ain't jealous of nothing, dollface," he said, tipping the beer back and taking a long drink.

"Is that why you just won't leave me alone? You were the one that called us quits and now you're trying to turn it around so that it's my fault. It's all yours! If you didn't want to be with me anymore, why didn't you just act like a man and tell me to my face?"

She was yelling now, and Dally relished in the fact that he could still get under her skin. Tim was going to get tired of her after another week if she kept this pouting game up.

"You know he's just trying to get up your skirt, right?" he asked. She shut her mouth and staredoutthe window, muttering something under her breath."It's all just a game and if you think he's gonna keep playing it if he doesn't get some action from you soon, you're dumber than I thought you were."

"Go to hell, Dally," she said quietly, grabbing for the door handle. Dally reached out and grabbed her arm, yanking her back inside.

She tried to shake his grasp off, but he held on; maybe a little tighter than he intended based on the way she winced under his grip.

"What are you doing?" she cried, trying to pry his fingers loose, but he held his grip. "Dal, let go!"

"Christ, Ellie," he said, letting go of her arm and taking another gulp of beer. "You gotta make a big production out of everything, don't you?"

"What the hell is your problem?" she asked, rubbing her arm and glaring at him as though she hated him for all he was worth.

"I don't have a problem," he said, grabbing the bottle and draining it. Ellie opened her door, and he dropped the bottle as he scrambled out of his seat. It was more difficult to get out of the car than he imagined.

She was just coming around the front of the car when he was getting out.

"Leave me alone, Dally!" she cried, walking fast.

He slammed the car door and stormed toward her. She tried to walk by him, but he grabbed her by both arms and dragged her back towards the car. He pushed her into the side of the car and made sure she couldn't squeeze by him.

"I'm trying to fuckin' talk to you," he said. She was trying to push him away, so he pushed back, keeping her where she was.

"Get off of me!" she cried.

He tightened his grip on her arms and held them firmly while she still tried to fight against him. He didn't miss the tears on her face, but he didn't give a shit. Ellie needed to learn to listen to him when he was trying to give her good advice.

"Are you gonna stop this shit with Shepard?"

"Why do you care?" she asked, finally standing still.

"Because I don't fucking like Shepard. Steve doesn't like Shepard, Two-Bit doesn't like him. Soda doesn't like him. You get the drift, don't you?" 

"So what if_ I_ like him?" she said with emphasis. "Then it's none of your business."

"You know everyone is gonna start calling you a whore and everything else they can think of," he told her. 

"You already did," she informed him.

"You know the only reason he even thought to go out with you? He thinks you're easy," he said. He let go of one of her arms to wipe raindrops dripping down his face. The fucking rain wasn't making his job any easier, trying to tell Ellie she was only going to get in trouble with Shepard. 

"Is that why you did?" she asked. "Did you kiss me that one time because you thought it'd make it easier to sleep with me?"

Her hand pressed against his chest, pushing him away with all the might she had left. Dally wasn't ready to let her have her way. He was pleased by the fact that even after drinking all evening long, he was still stronger than she was.

"What other reason was there?" he asked. "You're such a pushover, it wasn't all that hard to get you in the sack."

Her face scrunched up like she was really going to let the waterworks start up. He was waiting for that when she kneed him in the groin and pushed him away at the same time. He staggered backward, tripped over his own two feet and fell to the ground.

"Fuck," he yelled, rolling over on his side. He grabbed her foot and tried to yank her down with him. She let out a yelp and crashed down on all fours.

"Get off of me, you stupid drunk!" she cried.

She started kicking her feet, trying toget loose,and caught him a good one in the face, hard enough for him to let go. He pushed himself up but his head was swimming from the beer and the kick, and the movement crippled him again. Ellie was running away from him as fast as she could on the slick gravel, and he could have laughed if he wasn't so pissed.

"Fucking broad," he said to himself, spitting blood onto the gravel.

_I'm in the middle of a breakdown  
Watching you scream._

The door opened, hitting the wall with a crash; an entrance that seemed to fit Dallas just fine.

"Hey, Dal," Johnny greeted slowly, seeming to take in his appearance with a little trepidation.

Two-Bit watched in muted fascination as Dally crossed the room and sat back on the couch with his mouth bleeding and a beer in hand.

"Who'd you get into a fight with?" Two-Bit asked.

"Your old lady," he replied, tipping the bottle back.

Pony glanced from Dally sitting beside him to Two-Bit across the room, but Two-Bit only shrugged. Dally had been out of it lately; they shouldn't be surprised that he was getting into fits when he had been drinking.

"What the fuck is this shit?" Dally asked, motioning toward the books and papers scattered across the coffee table.

"My homework," Pony answered.

"No, I mean this," Dally said, reaching across and picking up a lighter left on the table. He held it up.

"I found it in the yard earlier," Johnny said. "It seemed to work just fine. Figured somebody might want it."

Dally studied the lighter in his hand, turning it over and running his thumb over the casing. He flicked it open and studied the flame. Fishing in his pocket for a cigarette, he lit it, snapped the lighter closed and dropped it into his coat.

"Well, it ain't a total loss," he said.

"What isn't?" Two-Bit asked.

Dally blew a couple of smoke rings and then drained the beer bottle.

"Nothin', man," he replied. "Not a damn thing."

_And by the way,  
Don't say I didn't warn you  
That I'll always stay the same._

* * *

_A/N: Dally, ever the asshole. Be sure to look for new chapters to Tender's sidefic: Front Page Drive In News. It contains tons of Tim-ness and scenes not included in Tender._


	32. Pretty Vegas

Disclaimer: We don't own Susie's boys, nor do we own "Pretty Vegas" by INXS.

_

* * *

Fallin' asleep at the wheel again, baby,  
__You're driftin' over the line._

Ellie stuffed her bag into her locker before one of the guys could ask her another stupid question about it. Yes, she had an extra bag of stuff and no, it wasn't anything special – not as far as the guys were concerned, anyway. She wasn't inviting them into her love life anymore. Shuffling through her books, she finally came up with her novel for English.

"Wanna work on our book reports for that tonight?" Pony asked from beside her, pointing to her copy of _The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn_.

"Uh, yeah," she said distractedly. "Sure, Pone."

As they joined Two-Bit and Steve and their girlfriends standing in the middle of the hall trying to harass anyone walking by, the warning bell for first period sounded. Steve and Evie went off in their own direction and Two-Bit kissed Kathy goodbye. They were on good terms lately and Ellie thanked her lucky stars for that. Pony said something to Ellie, but she wasn't paying much attention. She needed to talk to Kathy alone.

Ellie hung around the fringes of the kids crowding through the hall as she waited for Two-Bit to leave. When he finally wandered down the hall, probably in search of trouble, Ellie made a dash through the crowds to catch up with Kathy before she lost her. Soda's new girlfriend, Sandy Cooper, was by her side. She was ready to back out of her plan, but Kathy had spotted her.

"So, how was New Year's?" Kathy asked with a smirk. "I've been meaning to ask you about it."

"It was fine," Ellie replied quickly. She hoped Sandy didn't ask any questions because she wasn't crazy about reliving the night.

"You've met Sandy, right?"

Ellie shook her head. "No, but Soda talks about you all the time."

Sandy blushed. "He's real sweet."

"Yeah," Ellie agreed, "he's a nice guy."

Kathy grinned. "Plus, he's a real looker. Even better. How'd my makeup lesson turn out for you?"

Ellie bit the inside of her lip, wondering if she should even bother. Kathy was going to get tired of her ineptitude sooner or later. Then she thought about seeing Tim after school. He and Monty had inadvertently come to her rescue after Dally's scene at Buck's, and she needed a little help putting herself together for a date with Tim. After the wreck she looked like the night before, the last thing she wanted him to think was that he was dating some stupid kid.

"That's kind of what I wanted to ask you about," she said slowly.

"Need another lesson?" Kathy asked. They were nearing the stairwell, and Ellie had to get to class.

"I was wondering if you could maybe help me out after school today. If not, that's fine. I should just try to figure it –"

"Big date, huh?" Kathy asked. "Sure, I can try to work my magic again. When?"

Ellie smiled. "Right after last period? I can meet you in the bathroom by the front lobby."

"All right, kid. We'll see you then."

Ellie had turned into the stairwell but stopped and turned back. "'We?'" she asked hesitantly. "Who's 'we' going to be?"

Kathy shrugged before she continued down the hall. "See you after eighth period, Ellie," she called over the crowd.

Ellie dashed up the stairs, wondering who Kathy was going to bring and how fast the rumors were going to start spreading about her. She was distracted when she reached the landing, almost cleared of students. Ellie picked up the pace, not wanting to be late for Leery's class once again. She had been doing so well in the last few months, and he was finally off her back about every little thing. Her hopes were dashed, however, when she noticed the two socs walking her way.

"Huh," Richard Vinson said as they headed toward her. "Well, well, well. Long time, no see."

Ellie kept walking, but they turned and followed her. She jumped in spite of herself when the bell sounded. She sighed in frustration when they continued to walk behind her.

"Musta been a good little student, getting to class on time, right?" Michael asked. He gave her a slight shove from behind, only hard enough to scare her. "Knew that wouldn't last forever."

"Guess I should've been a football player," she muttered, trying to keep her feet moving faster than they were advancing.

"What was that?" Michael asked, cutting in front of her. She was getting really tired of this same old game. Just last night, she had to play this same little game with Will Bridges after Dally abandoned her in Buck's parking lot. She thought of what Monty had told her about Will's reputation on their side of town, and she began to think Michael wasn't half as badass as he thought he was.

"I guess I should have been a football player," she said defiantly. "Then I could get away with anything."

Michael smirked at her. The smirk faded slightly when Ellie held his gaze. Very consciously, she swiped her hair back and tucked it behind her ear, well aware of the light pink scar trailing her face.

"Right?" she asked.

Michael continued to glare at her, when she heard another voice from down the hall that surprised her.

"Mr. Holden, Mr. Vinson," Leery greeted them sarcastically. "I'm glad you feel so terribly knowledgeable that going to class is now an unnecessary part of your day."

"Excuse me," Ellie muttered quietly as she pushed her way past them. "I'm sorry I'm late. I got held up … in the crowded hallway," she added glancing back at Michael and Richard.

"Get to class, Ms. O'Hare," he said. "And you boys get to class. I'll be sure to advise Miss Burke of assigning you both detentions since you are always so tardy you make my own students late. Class, now."

Ellie quickly ducked into Mr. Leery's room, but she hoped that if she looked back, she would see Michael and Richard sulking into their classroom, detentions looming overhead. It may not be football season, but it was weight-lifting season and that was a good enough punishment at the moment.

She walked down her row, attentive of the eyes that followed her every movement and the whispers that still murmured, just like they always had in the last few months. For the first time, though, she didn't care. Dally may have screwed her up and going out with Tim wasn't going to be much better, but things seemed to be changing. She kept her hair tucked behind her ears, feeling the kids to her left stare at her face. What did it matter anymore?

_Your hands are tight  
__But you're losin' grip quickly._

The bell rang and Ellie half-jogged, half-ran to her locker, trying to beat the crowds so she could get her things and make it to the bathroom before Kathy gave up on her. Grabbing her bag of clothes and what little makeup she scrounged up of her mother's, Ellie hurried through the droves of kids only to have someone grab her arm.

"What's the rush?" Steve asked. He noticed the bag in her hand and reached for it, pulling it open. "What the hell is all that?"

"I'm kind of in a hurry, Steve," she replied, wrenching the bag away.

Letting go of her arm, he called after her, "Aren't you going home?"

"No," she replied. "I've got a ride. Don't wait for me!"

"With who?" he yelled after her.

"What?" she called back, pretending she hadn't heard him. He asked again and she shrugged like she still couldn't understand him. Waving at him, she hurried through the crowds until she made it to the bathroom that was down the first hallway off the front lobby of the school.

Bursting through the door, she was surprised to find Kathy and Evie and a couple other girls she didn't know very well.

Evie took a puff of her cigarette before she fanned the smoke in hopes that a teacher wouldn't catch them. "About time."

Donna Bennett, a taller blonde who was dating Evie's brother Rick, looked Ellie up and down before she crossed her arms and turned her attention to Kathy.

"This is what you want us to work with?" she huffed before she took Connie Dorsey's cigarette from between her lips.

"Hey," Connie protested before she snatched another cigarette from her purse. "Donna's right, though. We can't do much for her. Not here, anyway."

"Would you two just shut up?" Evie snapped. "Give the girl some credit, she's fresh offa Dallas Winston."

Donna eyed Ellie and said, "That was you?"

Ellie nodded, almost enjoying the shocked look on Donna's face. "Unfortunately."

"You got that right, honey," Donna confirmed, taking Ellie's hastily done braid in her hand and looking at Kathy, "You think you can manage something out of this?"

Kathy slapped her hand away. "I didn't bring you two here to torment her. Lord knows she gets enough of that from those boys she hangs out with."

"Besides, if you two ain't up for a challenge … " Evie began.

Ellie stood there silently as she watched the other girls study her. Awkwardly, she shrugged her hair out of her face and waited for their final judgments.

Donna pursed her lips before she gave a slight nod. "She's cute enough, and it's for Tim, right?"

Kathy replied, "Yup."

"Don't go too head over heels for him," Connie said to Ellie. "He and Dallas ain't really that much different."

"How do you know?" Ellie asked, feeling catty.

Connie's eyebrows lifted, and she blew smoke into Ellie's face.

"Jesus, she is new at this," Connie said, with a laugh.

Kathy smiled at Ellie. "Ready for this?"

The three other girls all but pounced on her before she could even reply. She stood there dumbly as the other girls poked and prodded at her, tugging at her clothes and hair like four angry vultures.

Ellie was blushing up a storm when they swapped her out of her school clothes into her date clothes.

"You're in tight with those Curtis boys, ain't that right?" Donna asked.

"Yeah, I guess so," Ellie shrugged, trying to catch a glimpse or two of herself in the mirror but to no avail.

"Is that new girl still dating Sodapop?" Connie asked.

"Yeah," Evie snapped, "so don't get any ideas."

Connie ignored her. "I wish he was still in school. It'd sure make the day go by a lot faster. It's too bad his brother's older than us too. I had the biggest crush on Darry when I was a freshman, but he was a senior so no chance there."

Kathy grinned at her. "Honey, even if you were a senior when _he_ was a freshman, there still wouldn't be a chance for you."

Connie scowled in her direction but didn't say anything else.

Ellie was amused by the fact that there were still girls at the school, mooning over Darry. She was going to have to remember to tell him about it, because he would get a kick out of it.

She had other things to think about, however, when Connie tried to stuff wads of toilet paper down her sweater.

"What are you doing?" Ellie cried out in surprise. She backed away and pulled bits of paper out of her shirt.

Donna laughed at her and said, "He ain't feeling you up already, is he?"

"No," Ellie blurted. She looked at the older girls who were all looking at her expectantly, waiting for her to spill her secrets.

"It's early yet," Evie said, collecting Ellie's clothes and make-up bag. "I'll give this back to you later, okay? Tim's waiting, ain't he?"

Ellie nodded and turned to look at herself in the mirror. Her hair was pulled back, but not in the sloppy way she always managed it. Her make-up wasn't nearly as heavy as she expected it to be; it was even toned down from how Kathy fixed up on New Years. The only thing she hated was the fresh scrape on her knee from where Dallas tripped her the night before. It made her feel like a kid.

"He won't notice and if he does, he won't care," Kathy said, following her gaze.

Nodding, Ellie held her arms down and away from her so the girls could look her over.

"Looks good," Evie said.

Connie and Donna reluctantly gave their nods of approval, too.

"Knock him dead," Kathy said, pushing her toward the door.

_The party's over  
__And you're moving on._

"Did he say where she was going?" Pony asked for the millionth time.

"No, Pony," Two-Bit replied, leaning against the side of the building and watching as kids filed out of the front doors. "Steve just said she didn't need a ride home today before he went to work."

"Then why are we waiting for her?"

"Because I want to know what she's up to," Two-Bit said. "Did you catch what she had in that bag she was carrying this morning?"

"No," Pony answered.

"Well, it looked like a skirt, and I don't think that's a good thing."

"Why not?"

Something caught Two-Bit's eye and his mouth gaped slightly. Pointing down the steps outside of the school, he said, "That's why."

Pony glanced through the parking lot but didn't spot who Two-Bit was pointing to until it was too late.

"Was that Ellie?"

Two-Bit nodded slowly. She had coming flying out of the front doors like a bat outta hell and he hardly recognized her. Under that makeup was his friend. Somewhere, anyway.

"Hiya, Two-Bit."

He looked over at the door to see Kathy and Evie walk outside with a couple girls that hung around Shepard's gang.

"Was that who I think it was?" he asked Kathy.

She grinned at him. "It sure was."

"Don't tell me she let y'all touch her with all that makeup stuff," he said, looking at the Shepard girls. "How'd you convince her to do that?"

"Convince her?" Kathy asked. "She practically begged me for some help this morning, so I brought reinforcements."

Two-Bit sighed. It was bad enough that she was running to Shepard's car right after school and standing her friends up. Now she was enlisting the help of these broads to make her look like one of them. It wasn't even that he really cared that she was suddenly so girly, it was that some kids were more likely to get their hearts broken than others and Ellie just seemed to be set up for it.

"Oh, Two-Bit," Kathy said in response to his sigh. "She'll be fine. She's a big girl. She dated Dallas, didn't she? She can handle a little make up and a little wardrobe change, _and_ she can handle an after-school date with Tim Shepard."

He didn't miss the way the other girls scoffed, nor did he miss the nasty look Evie and Kathy shot them. He could handle her asking Evie and Kathy for help. He didn't like the other girls helping her.

"Sure, she can," the taller one said sarcastically. "Bye, Kath. Bye Evie."

Two-Bit watched her and the other girl walk out into the parking lot, snapping their gum and sashaying in a way that was entirely inappropriate for school grounds. He shook his head slowly, imagining Ellie falling into the clutches of those girls. Don't misunderstand, he liked the way those girls walked and how they dressed, but Ellie had been hurt once without trying to be like them, he couldn't imagine how far she was going to fall to try and impress a hood like Shepard.

"Yeah, she dated Dally, but look how good that turned out," Two-Bit said. "And if stuff like that goes down with Shepard, who's worse around here for her to go out with than him to make him jealous?"

"I don't know. She could always go out with Will," Kathy said with a smile. Two-Bit didn't return it, and hers turned into a frown. "Relax, Two-Bit. I'm sure it's not all that serious. Besides, she isn't your concern. Let her worry about herself."

Two-Bit could tell she was getting tired of him talking about Ellie, so he kept his trap shut. Somebody needed to do something, though, because things were getting out of control, and he didn't like it one bit.

_The party's over  
__And the road is long._

Pony looked from the clock to his book and back to the clock. It was edging on 8:30 and there was still no sign of Ellie. He shouldn't be surprised, but he couldn't help it. It wasn't like her to just stand him up when they were going to do homework together. Well, it didn't used to be like her. Even when she was going with Dally, she usually kept her word and came by when she said she would.

"What's up, Pony?" Soda asked, plopping down at the table.

Pony shrugged. "I figured Ellie would be here by now."

Soda nodded slowly. "You guys working on homework tonight?"

"Supposed to," he corrected. He held up the book.

Soda wrinkled his nose in disgust. "_The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn_? I remember that book. Your report due tomorrow?"

Pony shook his head. "No, but I thought it would be a good idea to get it started early. I guess Ellie didn't think so."

"Steve said she was up to something after school," Soda said with a shrug.

"She sure was," Pony said matter-of-factly. "She came flying out of the school after the last bell, all dressed up with makeup and everything, and then hopped in Tim Shepard's car."

Soda let out a low whistle. "Tim Shepard. She's in a little over her head I'd say."

Pony only nodded. The door opened, and he leaned forward on the kitchen table to see if Ellie was finally there.

"Where the fuck is Shepard?" Dally growled, slamming the door shut behind him.

"Out with Ellie, apparently," Soda replied.

"What's she doing out with him?" Dally asked Pony.

Pony's eyes widened. "How should I know? It's not like I talk to her anymore."

Dally accepted that but not happily. Muttering to himself, he spun on his heel and was heading to the couch when the front door opened again, and Ellie stepped into the living room.

She looked startled to see Dally, but she quickly looked past him and walked into the kitchen.

"Sorry I wasn't here earlier, Pony," she said. He didn't say anything and neither did anyone else. She looked between him and Soda and glanced over her shoulder at Dally. "What?"

"Where the hell have you been?" Dally demanded from the center of the living room.

"Out," she said vaguely. "Where have you been?"

"None of your goddamn business is where," he said.

"Oh, there again? Should have figured," Ellie retorted, a hand on her hip.

"Where have you been, El?" Soda asked.

"I was just out with Tim," she answered.

"And where the fuck was he? Because he sure wasn't around here anywhere," Dally said.

"Why were you looking for him?" Ellie asked over her shoulder. Pony noticed how she kept dodging the questions, and it was starting to annoy him. He could only imagine how badly it was burning Dally up.

"'Cause I got business with him," he replied, looking ready to lunge across the room like a caged tiger.

"Yeah?" Ellie asked, coolly. "Maybe I do, too."

Pony glanced at Soda who met his eyes briefly before looking back down at the table and avoiding the argument. He suddenly wished Darry were home from his second job to play interference in Dally and Ellie's bantering because he was getting tired of it. They all seemed to be except for Dally and Ellie.

Dally suddenly chuckled, which made the hairs on Pony's neck stand on end. When he got like this, he was scarier than when he was threatening to kick someone's head in.

"Like hell you've got business with Shepard. You don't got business with anybody on this side of town."

Ellie jumped slightly when Dally slammed the door behind him as he stormed outside.

"What's the matter with him?" she asked to no one in particular.

"Who knows," Soda said faintly.

Ellie shrugged but Pony didn't buy that innocent gesture. She knew why Dally was mad and he knew she was doing everything she could to keep him that way. He watched her thumb through a few pages of a notebook until she found a clean page. She didn't bring her copy of _Huckleberry Finn _and Pony snatched his up.

Glancing up at him she asked, "Where are we at, Pony?"

"I don't know where you're at, but I'm done," he replied, gathering his books and pushing his chair away from the table.

"Pony?" Ellie called after him. By the time he made it to his room, he heard her ask, "What's the matter with everyone?"

He leaned against his bedroom door, wondering why she thought it was everyone else instead of her. They were all the same; she was the one who was different.

_Save your tears and laughter  
__Because this is the ride and this is the show._

* * *

A/N: Ellie's in pretty deep now. Be sure to check out our sidefic, Front-Page Drive In News, which chronicles Ellie's date with Tim, among other things.


	33. Colors

Disclaimer: Nope, we still don't own these guys. Nor do we own "Colors" by Crossfade.

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* * *

_

Can you feel it crush you,  
_Does it seem to bring the worst in you out?_

If the whole world didn't stop as she walked through the door, the entire restaurant certainly did. Conversations dropped to hushed whispers as she stood in the doorway, all eyes on her. Just a few months ago, she was nameless to most, and now she stood in the Dingo with a status she didn't mean to have. Instead of being nameless, Ellie was now Tim's current girlfriend, Dally's ex-girlfriend, and she didn't look any worse for the wear.

Two-Bit gave a small wave to get her attention, and she strutted over to his table. Either she was unaware of so many over-the-shoulder glances or for once she just didn't care.

She slid into the booth and raised her eyebrows impatiently.

"What's up?" she asked, clearly uninterested in whatever he wanted to talk to her about.

Two-Bit looked at her quizzically for a few seconds, trying to recognize her through the hair and make-up. He wondered when she had forgotten all of her manners while his were still intact. "Hi, Ellie."

"Hi, Two-Bit," she replied sarcastically. "What's up?"

In all the years he'd known her, he couldn't remember ever being uncomfortable around her. She was his friend, but at the same time, she was like another kid sister to him. He didn't get nervous around girls, not that he would admit if he did, but maybe it was because he knew what she was like before she decided to turn into a teenage harlot. He hardly recognized her anymore.

"I just wanted to talk to you," he said, awkwardly.

"I know," she said, looking at him with a bored expression. "That's what you said when you stopped by the store earlier. What do you want to talk about?"

He shifted uncomfortably and nodded at a guy passing by with a tray of food. "Do you want anything?"

She shook her head and said, "No thanks. Can we just cut to the chase? I've got plans tonight."

That explained how dressed up she was, after work and all. He thought about cracking a joke but thought better of it.

"Plans with Tim?" he asked.

"No, not until this weekend. A couple of the girls were going to hang out tonight, and they invited me to come along," she explained. "I'm supposed to meet them here."

Two-Bit felt nothing but defeat, a feeling he wasn't used to. She was only there because she had already planned to be there, not because she wanted to hang out with him.

"Well, I just wanted to hang out with you for a while, and you know, tell you how sorry I am about everything," he said, stumbling awkwardly over his words.

She didn't even blink at his apology and instead crossed her arms, staring at him coolly.

"And …?"

"And I should have told you when I found out what Dal was up to, but I didn't know how to do it," he said, feeling sorrier than he'd ever been about anything, except for maybe the first time the fuzz dropped him off at home and had a nice long talk with his mother about his tendency to take things that didn't belong to him. "I just didn't want to be the one that had to break your heart, you know?"

"Does it look like my heart's broken?" she asked, resting her arms on the table and looking hard at him.

Two-Bit chewed on the inside of his bottom lip and thought carefully about what he was about to say. The main reason he'd wanted to talk to her was to apologize for not being a friend to her, but the other reason was about something else entirely.

"So, if your heart ain't broken, why'd you move on to Tim so fast?" he asked. When she narrowed her eyes at him, he immediately regretted going in for the kill.

"Why is that any of your business?" she demanded.

"We never see you anymore since you started going out with him, and I just figured you've been avoiding us 'cause you're mad about what happened with Dally," he explained quickly, trying to not piss her off too much.

She didn't say anything, so he continued.

"Dal's been in and out lately, and I think he and Sylvia are off again," he told her, cracking a small grin, hoping that would cheer her up or cool her off.

"Quit giving him so much credit," she snapped. "I don't care what he's doing."

That was a lie, and he knew it. He just didn't know if she realized the lie she was telling. It didn't matter that she'd never said anything about how she felt about Dally, he could still see the hurt written all over her face, and he was pretty sure anyone else could too.

"Then why put on the show with Tim?"

"Who says it's a show?" she asked.

Two-Bit raised a questioning eyebrow, and she mimicked him.

"It isn't a show?" he questioned.

"Why is everyone making such a big deal about me and Tim?" she demanded, ignoring his question.

"Because he's a real time hood, kiddo, and no one wants to see you get hurt or in trouble or anything like that," he said.

"And what does that make Dally?" she asked, crossing her arms again and sitting back.

"That's different, Ellie," he said.

"I don't see how it's so different. Y'all paint such a bad picture of Tim, thinking I'm just in it because it pisses Dally off," she said. "No one ever stopped to think that maybe I actually like him."

Two-Bit stared at her helplessly. Choosing his words carefully, he said, "Do you like him?"

"Yes," she said, confidently and maybe just a little too quickly. "And he likes me, so get over it."

The jingling of the bell over the door caught his attention as three girls walked in, all sharply dressed and tough as nails. He cringed a little at the thought of Ellie turning into them. It was a shame she was on the fast track in that direction. Girls as modest as she was weren't quite the norm on the East Side.

The three of them walked up to the table as Ellie stood up to meet them. Ellie might have been dressed like them, but she looked to Two-Bit like she was only mimicking them, a kid playing dress up. Her eyes weren't as hard and her smile wasn't so wicked. She looked like a kid trying to fit in among the likes of them and from far away, she may have looked all right but close up, she looked awfully out of place.

"Hello, ladies," Two-Bit greeted wryly. "Here to take my friend out on a girls' night?"

The blonde tossed her hair and looked at Ellie and said, "Ready to go?"

"Yeah, almost. Can you give me a minute?" Ellie asked.

Helen Jacobs looked at Ellie and then quickly at Two-Bit and back again. He'd dated Helen once before but only briefly because her ex-boyfriend Todd Howell was one jealous hood from Shepard's gang. Todd jumped Two-Bit in a lame attempt to win Helen back, but Two-Bit beat him fair and square. He assumed that Helen would fall head over heels for him for saving her once again from the clutches of Todd the Asshole. Imagine his surprise when she did nothing of the sort and nursed Todd back to health, ending it with Two-Bit for beating him up so badly. He thought back to how she was only using Two-Bit to make the boy jealous, and now he wondered how that same scenario would play out for Tim and Ellie.

"Please don't ruin this for me," she begged once the girls walked away. "I'm sick and tired of making new friends only so they can use me."

"Who ever used you?" Two-Bit asked, furrowing his brows.

She rolled her eyes. "Any number of girls that try to be my friend, only to hang out with me so they can drool over Soda. How about that girl Annie? Remember her?"

Two-Bit grinned. He had forgotten about her. Annie was a cute middle-classer a couple years back who was all too eager to be Ellie's best friend. It was a strange match that even Ellie couldn't figure out until they went to Jay's after school, and Annie was all over Soda. Ellie never let Soda live that one down.

"I made friends with these girls on my own, and I intend to keep them as friends, okay?" she told him.

"Well, I've never used you to get closer to Sodapop," he said, winking at her.

She just rolled her eyes and said, "Are we finished? I oughta go."

Two-Bit lost the smile he had on his face. He had hoped he could get somewhere with her, but now they were just back to where they began. "Just don't forget who your real friends are."

She stood up and smoothed her skirt with angry strokes of her hands, giving him an accusing glare.

"You mean my real friends who didn't tell me my boyfriend was screwing some other girl behind my back?" she asked.

If looks could kill, he would be dead as a doornail. He couldn't say anything to that when he knew he had betrayed her confidence and in effect hurt her as much as Dallas.

"I told you I was sorry," he offered, not knowing what else he could say.

Ellie still stood at the edge of the table, glancing between him and her new friends waiting by the door. "I know, but that doesn't really change anything, does it?"

Two-Bit shrugged. It clearly wasn't going to change her back. "No, but I really am sorry."

Ellie's shoulders slumped slightly but enough that he noticed. He celebrated a small victory when she dropped the deadly glare she had trained on him and replaced it with a more understanding gaze that made her look a lot more like the Ellie he knew.

"I know, Two-Bit."

She started to walk away, but he caught her arm before she could get far.

"Have fun with your friends, Ellie, but don't forget your other friends miss hanging out, too."

She glanced toward the door and nodded. "Bye, Two-Bit."

"Bye, kid."

_Of all the colors that you've shined  
__This is surely not your best._

Two-Bit took slow, measured steps to the counter, listening to Dally grumble not so quietly behind him to hurry it up. Two-Bit wasn't sure this was all such a good idea, even if it was his idea in the first place.

"Why'd we have to come here?" he asked for the millionth time since they stepped foot into Joe's Grocery. Ellie was still standing in the same spot she was when they first walked in: behind the register, eyeing them suspiciously.

"Where else would we go?" Dally replied.

Two-Bit imagined the sinister grin that was probably sitting on Dally's face. Of course he would suggest buying the supplies from the place Ellie worked. Of course he would suggest buying them when he knew Ellie was working. This was Dally's sick idea of fun. And of course, Two-Bit had to go right along with it. Ponyboy sure wasn't the only one who didn't use his head; Two-Bit was wondering where his own brain had wandered off to when he agreed to Dally's suggestion.

Ellie still stood at the counter, eyeing them as though they were two snakes about to bite her. "What are you two doing?"

"What's it look like, genius?" Dally replied. "We're doing some grocery shopping."

Naturally, Ellie wasn't buying it. Nobody in their right mind would buy that story.

"Since when do you grocery shop?" she retorted. "And since when do you need three dozen eggs and a bottle of shaving cream."

"I've got a thick beard," Two-Bit replied, rubbing his hand over a day's worth of stubble.

"Uh-huh," she said skeptically. "And the eggs?"

"We ain't allowed to buy some eggs?" Dally snapped.

"Well, I know you ain't making omelets with 'em," she said. She raised her eyebrows, waiting for an answer.

"We got a soc's car with these eggs' name all over it," Two-Bit replied.

"Then why'd you come here to pay for them when you could have lifted them at the big supermarket where nobody would have noticed?" she asked.

He had to admit, Ellie was always a quick one for bullshit.

"This is more fun," Dally said with a sick smile on his face.

He wasn't exactly lying. That was the same excuse he gave Two-Bit after they made these plans. He suggests they buy them directly from Ellie herself. When Two-Bit asked him why they had to do such a stupid thing, Dally said it would test her loyalty. She was friends with their gang first and foremost, even if she hadn't been around lately, and if she ratted them out to Tim after everything happened, then it would prove that she was a traitor.

Two-Bit thought it was a little harsh, but Dally made his argument pretty convincing by saying it was more fun that way. Briefly, Two-Bit believed him. Now he thought he was just plain crazy.

"I know y'all ain't swimming in cash, so I doubt you're going to waste a few bucks on a soc's car," Ellie said.

"You don't know that," Dally said.

Ellie gave him an incredulous look. "I'm pretty sure of it." She glanced behind them where another customer had joined the line before she turned her attention back to them. "Do me a favor and put these back where you got them from before you leave."

"Are you refusing us service?" Dally asked with another wicked grin. "I'd like to speak to your manager, young lady."

Ellie leaned forward and lowered her voice. "Stop screwing around and put these things back."

"C'mon, Dal," Two-Bit said, trying to ease the tension before Dally made a scene. "Let's just head down to the supermarket. It'd be kind of funny trying to steal eggs without breaking one."

Dally shook his head. "No, I want to buy them here, and she can't stop us."

Ellie impatiently glanced back at the line that had grown as another woman waited.

"Dally, get out of this line. Right now."

"No," he said, with a smirk on his face as he crossed his arms. "I think I'll wait until I speak with your manager." His voice got progressively louder with each word.

"Is everything okay here, Ellie?"

Two-Bit glanced over to see the owner of the store, Joe Thompson himself, walking down one of the aisles towards the registers.

"Everything's fine," she replied quickly, shooting Dally an angry glance as she started to punch buttons on the register.

"Hiya, Mr. Thompson," Two-Bit interjected, hoping to take some heat off Ellie and keep Dally from opening his big mouth. "Sorry, we were hassling Ellie for a discount, but man, is she a trooper. She said she couldn't bend any rules, no matter who we were."

The cash register tolled and Two-Bit quickly passed her the money. She snatched it out of his hand and tossed change into his. He doubted she took the time to count it out and he didn't care.

"One heck of a worker you've got here, sir," he added as Ellie hastily tossed the egg cartons in a bag.

"Why don't you head on home, Two-Bit," Joe suggested, "and let her get back to work?"

"Yes, sir," he replied. He glanced at the women waiting in line behind them. "Really, she's one heck of a cashier."

Ellie thrust the bags over the counter and leaned close so only he could hear her.

"Whatever you're doing, Two-Bit, I know it ain't good so don't do it."

Dally snatched the bag out of her hand. "Don't worry your little head over it, _dollface_," he said. "Enjoy your date tonight."

Ellie's eyes widened slightly as if she was putting two and two together. Two-Bit almost hoped she broke all of the eggs when she tossed them into the bag because this was turning into one awful idea he had cooked up. Ellie on a date with Tim Shepard and Dally armed with eggs and shaving cream. Things were bound to get a little messy that night.

_Don't you ever turn away from  
__The ones who help you down._

Two-Bit knew it was a bad idea from the start, but he was going to go through with it. Just like he always knew most everything he planned was a bad idea from the start, and yet he still went through with it. His mom always said it was because he was full of spunk, while his dad – before he split, anyway – called it plain, old stupidity. At the moment, he wondered if dear old Dad had a point.

After all, here he was, crouched in a bush on a soggy Friday night between Dallas Winston and Steve Randle, with three-dozen eggs and a bottle of shaving cream sitting amongst them. In front of them was a parking lot about to be occupied with Tim Shepard's car. Yeah, stupidity just about summed it up. But right beside the stupidity of it all was the excitement of a good prank about to commence, and Two-Bit couldn't help but grin. After all, he was sure he had done dumber things than this. It would be priceless to see Tim's face when they were finished.

"Do you have the eggs?" Steve asked.

"Yeah," Two-Bit replied.. "You've got the shaving cream?"

"Yeah." Steve was quiet in the dark beside him. "You should have gotten toilet paper, too."

"And done what?" Dally growled from Two-Bit's other side. "Wiped Shepard's ass?"

It was too dark out to see either of their faces, but Two-Bit could practically hear Steve's eyes rolling around in his head.

"Do you see it raining out here?" Steve asked.

"No, I don't see shit out here," Dally retorted, "because it's pitch fucking black. But I can feel it because it's fucking freezing out here."

"Do you have any idea what kind of mess toilet paper would be to clean off a car when it's been raining?" Steve asked.

"And after it's been egged," Two-Bit added. He tensed for a moment, waiting for Dally to sock him in the arm. It didn't come and he knew Dally was cursing himself for not thinking of that himself.

"Go over these plans again," Dally said after a long while of silence.

"You don't know the plans?" Steve hissed. "You wait until we're crouched in some bushes in Shepard territory to ask for the plans?"

"Would you just tell me the fucking plans before I change my mind and fuck you up and not Tim's car?" Dally demanded.

"Christ," Steve mumbled.

"Here's the deal," Two-Bit said. "Ellie's out with Tim tonight. They're doubling here at the bowling alley with that crazy guy in his gang. What's his name? Monty?"

"How do you know all this?" Steve asked.

"I've got my connections," he replied. It helped to be a charming guy who dated around. Unlike Dally, he liked to end relationships amicably. It obviously came in useful. "Hey, is that them?"

Two-Bit watched closely as two cars pulled into the lot. The first he didn't recognize, but the second one was definitely Tim's with that ugly line drawn down the side from Dally keying it a while back.

Dally snickered. He may not be happy to be sitting in the middle of a bunch of bushes in the drizzle, but he sure sounded like he enjoyed where this was heading. All Two-Bit had to say to Dally and Steve that afternoon was that Ellie was going on a date with Tim and he had an idea to mess with Tim's car. Both of them were on that idea like white on rice. It shouldn't have surprised him that Dally didn't pay attention to the intricacies of such a plan.

"All right, fellas," Two-Bit announced. "We're in business. Wait a few minutes until they get settled inside, then we can get to work decorating his car."

_Do they complicate you  
__Because they make you feel like this?_

After a few long minutes, the three boys finally crept out of the bushes. The parking lot was mostly full and the lights in the parking lot were never working all that well so there wasn't much concern about getting caught by a fellow grease.

"He sure didn't leave us much room," Steve observed, slowly walking the perimeter of the Bel-Air. "These cars will probably get some of the mess, too."

"Who cares?" Dally said, taking a carton of eggs. He took one out and held it delicately in his hand. There was something about desecrating Shepard's car that made Dally's day a little brighter. The idea of Tim having to drive around town with a car covered in eggs and shaving cream was enough to make anyone smile, and the thought of Ellie having to sit in that sorry excuse of a car while Tim drove her home only made it that much better. Dally studied the egg for one final second before cupping it in a fist and beaming it off the roof of the car.

The shell cracked with a thrilling crunch and Dally grinned at Two-Bit. "Did I ever tell you that you're a genius?"

Two-Bit grinned back. "I know, man."

Two-Bit took his own carton of eggs from the bag and aimed it for the driver's side door. The yolk slapped onto the window and drained into a sickening streak of yellow all the way down the glass.

Steve grabbed his own eggs and went to work on the windshield. By the time all the eggs were spent, Tim's Bel-Air looked more like a bumblebee as the yolk of the eggs seeped down the sides of it. Dally took care of the shaving cream, covering as much of the car as he could before the bottle ran dry. He made as many obscene images as possible, even though most of them were illegible. Shaving cream wasn't his first choice of artistic supply, but the damage to the car said more than any pictures would.

All in all, the temporary damage to the car only took a handful of minutes, but Dally knew the reaction would be priceless. He didn't even care how long they had to wait to see it.

"I'll go get my car and we can sit in the back of the lot and wait for Tim and Ellie," Steve said. He began to head in the direction of his car but after a few paces he turned back. "Oh, I almost forgot."

"What're you doing?" Two-Bit asked.

Dally laughed when he saw Steve pull a screwdriver out of his pocket and get to work on the hubcaps. He was surprised when he only settled for one.

"Shepard ain't gonna mix and match his hubcaps," Steve replied matter-of-factly. "Besides, these are cheap. I can't get any money out of 'em. But word around town is that Shepard has his eyes on a set of Baby Moons on the West Side. I figure this will speed up the process of him lifting those."

"So this is your plan for getting him new, shiny hubcaps?" Dally asked incredulously.

"No, this is my plan to get _me_ some new, shiny hubcaps," Steve snapped. "Once they're on Shepard's wheels, they're as good as mine."

A car's headlights flashed across the parking lot as a car pulled in. The three boys ducked behind Tim's car while the other car parked and the kids climbed out. Dally leaned against the car beside Tim's, waiting for them to open the door to the bowling alley. When they heard the sounds of kids, music and bowling pins, they stood back up.

"That was close," Two-Bit said with a crazy grin.

"Let's grab the car and wait for the fireworks."

"I guess you were right," Dally said as they trudged back to Steve's car. "Toilet paper would have been a bitch to clean up."

"Maybe next time," Two-Bit suggested.

Steve parked inconspicuously in the corner of the dark parking lot and they settled into their seats to begin their long evening of waiting. Dally reached into the pocket of his jacket and produced a triumphant egg.

"I saved one for later," he said.

Steve grinned. "What are you planning for that?"

Dally returned the grin. "Just keep an eye out for 'em. I'll let you know then."

_You should know that these colors  
__That you're shining are surely not your best._

It was two hours of long waiting in Steve's car. Two-Bit noticed Dally was getting fidgety in the passenger seat, spinning the lone egg in his palm. If Tim didn't make an appearance before long, Dally might not be so happy to leave the damage on his car as only temporary.

"Where the fuck are they?" Dally hissed. "It's the fucking bowling alley, and I know Shepard ain't in there bowling."

He was getting belligerent and Two-Bit didn't want a full-out rumble in the middle of the Ten Pins Bowling Alley parking lot, so he did his best to distract with his latest story. It involved a rookie cop, his cruiser and a cat.

"You wouldn't believe how loud he screamed," Two-Bit continued, really getting into his story.

"Shut it, Two-Bit," Steve butted in, pointing across the parking lot.

There was Tim Shepard and his buddy Monty, walking towards their cars with their dates beside them. Ellie seemed apprehensive as she walked alongside Tim. Her eyes were scanning the parking lot and quickly picked out Steve's car. Maybe he hadn't parked as inconspicuously as Two-Bit originally thought.

Ellie slowed to a near-halt until Tim's arm that was draped around her shoulders pulled her forward. He seemed to notice her hesitation because he glanced at her from the corner of his eye. Two-Bit held his breath. He was torn between wanting to see Tim's reaction and not wanting to embarrass Ellie. The former won, however, when Tim stopped mid-stride.

The windows of Steve's car were cracked just a bit, but they could still hear Tim's shouting clear as a bell. Dally, Steve and Two-Bit couldn't help but laugh as Tim strung together obscenities.

Tim slowly circled his car, inspecting the damage with an angry expression as his mouth hung gaping open. The scene was priceless, and Two-Bit wished he had a camera to capture the moment.

Ellie circled the car along with Monty and his chick, but unlike the others that were looking at the yolky mess, she was looking at the ground. _No_, Two-Bit decided, _not the ground. The tires._ She finally got to the rear right tire and raised her head to look back at Steve's car. Tim was watching her and quickly figured it out.

"Now," Dally said, rolling down his window further. "Go, now."

Steve hit the gas and drove straight for Shepard. He seemed surprised to see a car headed straight for them which helped Dally out in his final mission of the evening.

As Steve veered the car down the lane and slowed perpendicular to Tim's wreck of a car, Dally launched the last egg square into Tim's chest.

"Nice car you got, Shepard!" Dally yelled as Steve floored it.

Two-Bit leaned his head out the window as they drove away.

"I think some of the egg splashed El," he observed.

"She should keep better company, then," Dally replied.

Two-Bit squinted as he watched behind them. "I think she's laughing."

"What?" Dally snapped.

Steve turned onto the main stretch of The Ribbon and Two-Bit pulled his head back inside. "Yeah, she was laughing."

"She's got a better sense of humor than I figured," Steve said.

"She's sure got a better sense of humor than Shepard," Dally agreed.

Steve hit the gas again and sped past the slower cars cruising down The Ribbon. Two-Bit leaned back in his seat, pleased with the way the evening turned out.

_Don't you know they love to see you smile?  
__But these colors that you've shined  
__Are surely not your style._

* * *

Uh-oh. Surely Tim won't take kindly to having egg on his face, so to speak. How's he going to retaliate?


	34. Bad

**Diclaimer: We do not own Susie's boys or her world. Anything you've heard of before belongs to her. We also do not own Michael Jackson's song "Bad."**

_"This fic/chapter is being posted as part of "Good Fic Day," an effort to raise the quality of writing here. We hope to encourage more writers to improve the quality of their own fan fiction - spell check, grammar check, keep the gang in character, outline, plot and don't use Mary Sues. Good fan fiction requires effort, and we would like to encourage other writers to rise to the challenge of producing better fan fiction, not only for our readers, but for S.E. Hinton, who created the wonderful book we are trying to honour."_

_Just show your face in broad daylight.  
__I'm telling you, gonna hurt your mind._

Spring was in the air. The sun was warm but the shade and breezes were cool. You still needed a jacket and everyone was suffering from cabin fever. Everyone was on the edge and the Dingo was ready for a stand off.

Dally sat in the booth alongside Two-Bit, Steve and Soda, drinking casually from his bottle of Pepsi. He carefully eyed the fellow greasers in the joint. Even if he didn't know them before, he knew exactly which ones were Shepard boys and which ones were just there to hang out and gossip. The Shepard boys were all glaring at his table while he heard snippets of conversation from the tables of the gossipers.

Most snippets contained words like eggs, shaving cream, Shepard, and Dally's favorite phrase he had heard in all his life, which came from the young greasers sitting behind them, talking louder than they meant to.

The red-headed, pimply boy had leaned over the table to tell his friends, "I heard he threw an egg and hit Tim Shepard square in the face."

The kid about shit himself when Dally leaned over the seat to tap him on the shoulder.

"You heard right, kid," Dally told him. He grinned, but the kids hurriedly grabbed their sodas and made their way out of the booth and out the front door.

"You know when he's gonna show up?" Steve asked.

Dally shook his head. He had hoped Tim would already be waiting for them, but it looked like he had only sent his lookouts so far. The way the news was spreading, though, it wouldn't take Tim long to show up to defend his egged name.

"Probably won't be too long, now," Two-Bit said, nodding towards the corner of the Dingo.

Dally followed his gaze and it landed on the tall blond guy in Tim's gang. Word had it this guy was only known as Monty and was Tim's go-to guy for everything. It didn't surprise Dally that Tim's guy would be someone besides Curly. Stupid kid probably couldn't tie his own shoelaces without Tim holding his hand. What did surprise him about Monty was that he never fucking saw the guy do anything except have a beer at Buck's or occasionally eating at the Dingo. He didn't know how Tim could afford to run his gang with his right hand man just sitting around with broads hanging all over him.

He watched as Monty dialed a number on the payphone in the corner and glanced over his shoulder. Dally held his gaze as he talked into the mouthpiece.

"Tim's on his way," Dally said, matter-of-factly.

Monty nodded as he continued talking on the phone. When he hung up, he studied Dally for a minute before he glanced past them to his boys. There was a nod of his head and Dally turned to the guys.

"Almost showtime," he said with a scheming grin.

_I'm giving you on count of three  
__To show your stuff or let it be._

Tim Shepard walked into the Dingo and Dally watched hungrily. His lips curled into a gnarled grin as he thought about Shepard having to clean three dozen raw eggs off of his precious car.

"If shit hits that fan," Dally said to the guys, keeping his eyes steadily on Tim's every movement, "I ain't having Darry ripping my throat out. Soda beats it out of here first, no questions."

"Hey," Soda complained. "Worry about yourself and I'll do the same."

Dally hesitantly tore his glare away from Shepard and aimed it at Soda. "I _said _you get out of here first if the cops show. And I also said no questions, so shut it."

Soda leaned back in his seat, seemingly deciding if it would be worth it to argue. He made the right decision when he shut his trap and crossed his arms.

"Your old man gonna kill you if you get arrested again?" Two-Bit asked Steve.

Steve shrugged. "He was about to shit himself last time, but he got over it."

"Maybe you oughta beat it too," Dally suggested, studying Tim from across the diner.

"Maybe I think Soda's right and you oughta let us worry about ourselves," Steve replied. "Why are you in charge of all this, anyway?"

"Because I am," Dally growled. "And ain't nobody but me taking down Shepard. Got it?"

Two-Bit butted in before the other two could complain again. "Yeah, Dal, we got it. Besides, my ma ain't gonna care if I get hauled in. She'll probably think it was pretty funny that all this started over a couple dozen eggs."

"How come I wasn't in on egging Shepard's car?" Soda asked.

Dally never had too much against Soda, but at the moment he was really getting on his last nerve.

"You got anything you're not gonna complain about?" Dally asked. "Let me know now, and I can I just go over there and start this fight on my own terms. Otherwise, we can do this according to plan."

"You know what, Dal?"

"What, pretty boy?"

"Whoa, guys," Two-Bit cut in. "We're getting off track. You two can fight later. We didn't ask you to come because Steve said you were out with Sandy."

"I could've canceled on her," Soda said. "I still can't believe you didn't bring me in on this. I had to hear about it from Sandy this morning after Evie called her to tell her what her brother told her he heard from Curly."

Dally groaned at the thought of Soda starting another rant about how he had to hear about all of this second hand. They had already gotten an earful when they told him about their plans that day.

"That's one hell of a gossip chain you got," Dally said. "Do you and Sandy paint each other's nails and do each other's hair, too?"

"Don't give me shit just because you aren't getting any," Soda retorted with a cocky grin.

"Don't act like you are," Dally replied. He was happy to see the grin slide right off Soda's face. "Miss Goody-Two-Shoes looks about as warm as the South Pole. Then again, I got Ellie to put out, so I could be wrong."

"You're a son of a bitch, you know that, Dal?" Soda asked.

"Yeah, I know." Dally watched Tim as he turned his back completely to him and was talking to his gang. "Now, how about we stop all this gabbing and do what we came here to do?"

Dally knew they were pissed, but that just meant they'd fight that much harder and that was all he needed. He grinned when Two-Bit started making a low clucking noise. Soda and Steve slowly joined in, keeping their heads down and their backs to Tim. Pretty soon, the whole restaurant sounded like a chicken coop and Tim slowly turned from the group of his guys in the opposite corner of the dive. While other kids in the booths around them laughed quietly, Tim sauntered across the room and Dally stood up to meet him.

Tim stopped just short of Dally with his facial expressions set in stone. Two-Bit squawked once more time, and Tim threw the first punch, hitting hard enough to knock Dally off balance and sending both of them crashing onto the table. All pandemonium broke loose as the boys on both sides found their match and tried to beat each other into next week. People were running out of the restaurant, tripping over everyone fighting.

Dally threw a punch into Tim's ribcage and tried to throw another when Tim retaliated and landed a left hook into Dally's chin. Dally lifted his knee into Tim's groin, hard, causing him to stagger backward. Grinning, Dally egged Tim on, beckoning him with his fingers. Tim took the bait and charged at Dally. He felt his feet go out from under him as Tim plowed into him and he could taste fresh air as they plowed through the glass door of the Dingo, shattering it into a million pieces.

Caught in a sudden daze, Dally lolled his head around on the ground and caught a quick glimpse of Ellie standing not too far away. She was shouting something and pointing wildly, but Tim must not have been listening either because Dally felt another blow to the side of his face. Dally wrestled back, knocking Tim off of him but someone else laid a crushing blow across his shoulder blades, knocking him back down to his knees.

"Fucking fuzz," Dally griped, as cold metal tightened around his wrists.

The cop pulled him to his feet and slammed him against a nearby car and searched him for weapons. Just across the hood, Tim was getting the same treatment. The cop yanked him up and pushed him into the back of a cruiser as two more pulled up with more sirens wailing in the distance. Dally saw Soda dragging Ellie away from the fray as Steve and Rick Bradley were getting shoved into the back of another cruiser.

The car door opened and a cop tossed Tim in and dashed off to help the others.

"Look at the fucking mess you made, Shepard," Dally said, smugly.

"Winston, I swear to God, shut your fucking trap or I'll shut it for you," Tim replied.

Dally wasn't afraid to test the waters.

"With your hands cuffed behind your back? Try it, fuck face," he dared.

The grin vanished from his face when Tim turned and swung his legs off the floor of the car in a practiced motion and landed a boot hard on Dally's crotch.

Dally groaned, cursed and groaned some more. By the time he got enough air back into his lungs to try and retaliate the cruiser doors opened and two officers slid in and pulled out of the parking lot.

"You know you ain't gonna get away with that, Shepard," he threatened.

Tim looked at him, his face not even hinting at a competitive smile.

"Keep dreamin', Winston," he muttered.

_I'm telling you, just watch your mouth  
__I know your game, what you're about._

"Hey Winston," Tim called easily from across from a separate cell. "How's your balls?"

Dally flicked him off and turned to glare at Two-Bit as he started sniggering.

"Shut your trap before I fucking show you, Mathews," Dally threatened before Two-Bit even had the chance to ask what Tim was talking about.

Two-Bit shut his mouth, but he still wore a grin that Dally was itching to knock off his face, only because the fuzz were smart enough this time to separate his boys from Shepard's boys. Now it was just a matter of waiting for parents to be called to pick up their juvenile delinquents from the city lock up, all except for Shepard and himself. The fuzz were more inclined to just keep them both locked up over night if they could help it. And seeing as how they were getting blamed for destruction of property as well as fighting, Dally knew they might be facing a judge if they weren't lucky.

This wasn't the time for either one of them to get hauled off for a few months, Dally knew a rumble was in store and judging by the way Shepard was talking with the handful of guys he got picked up with, the same idea was brewing on the other side of the block as well.

A guard walked slowly down the block, making his rounds and checking for trouble before he went back into his office to do paperwork. Dally watched Tim watch the squirrelly rookie until he turned a corner out of sight. Tim stood up and threaded his arms through the bars and stared at Dally. The two guys he was in the cell with did the same, and the two others in the cell to the right of his as well. Tim's guys were a tough bunch, but they were too well trained.

"We need to have a war council, right here, right now," Shepard said coolly.

Dally stood up and leaned against the cinderblock wall and lit up a cigarette. Steve and Two-Bit were backing him up, but not in the same methodical motions as the goons across the way.

"I can't imagine why, Shepard," Dally said, a grin on his face.

"You know why," he replied, cool and collected.

"I guess so," Dally replied. "So, where does that leave us?"

Steve cocked his head back and gave him an approving nod. They had only hoped Tim would show up at the Dingo that afternoon, enough of his boys were there that Dally figured there was a good chance. Dally was counting on the eggs being the last straw and Tim wanting a rumble. He'd even wanted Tim to plan it. Steve was all for it because they all knew they could whip Shepard's outfit with their hands tied behind their backs.

"If you an' I don't have to meet the judge tomorrow, then tomorrow at midnight in the vacant lot. Just skin," Tim said, laying down the law.

"Sounds like a fair deal to me," Two-Bit declared, standing beside Steve. "How's that sound to you, Dally?"

Tim was staring right at him, trying to break him down. Dally said, "You'd better hope you and I gotta meet the judge tomorrow, Shepard. You ain't gonna like the outcome of this."

"Bradley, Mathews!"

Dally held Tim's stare as the guard walked back down the block swinging a set of keys. Tim broke the stare first as the guard unlocked his cell to let Rick out. Two-Bit shook Dally's hand as the guard walked across to unlock the cell and let him out.

"I'll let the boys know," he said, seriously before giving him a loony grin. "I'll see ya tomorrow night."

_Your talk is cheap, you're not a man  
__You're throwin' stones to hide your hands._

By the time it was all said and done, there was only Tim and Dally in their respective cells, laying on their rock hard, makeshift beds. There were a couple of the regulars a few cells down in the drunk tank, snoring off their evening spent at the local bar. Dally knew a couple of them because they frequented the same tavern his old man did. He was almost surprised old Charlie Winston hadn't been picked up as he stumbled out of the Thirsty Boot alongside these bumbling drunks.

"I gotta get out of here, man. I can't stay here."

Dally raised his head at the sound of whining. There was a kid sitting in the corner of Shepard's cell, looking like he was about to go off his rocker. He was a young kid, probably younger than Curly and looking like he was holding up about as well as somebody like Ponyboy would in a jail cell.

"Shepard, shut the kid up," Dally said, tucking his hands behind his head.

"Why don't you shut it, Winston?" Tim replied, but Dally heard him stand up from the bench he had been laying on. "I know you've been cryin' all afternoon 'cause you ain't had no visitors like usual."

Dally laid there as Shepard muttered enough encourage to the kid to get him to shut up and get some sleep. It had been months since he had been in jail with Ellie visiting him, and he wasn't surprised Tim hadn't forgotten about her visit. He wouldn't ever live it down, but there was something about it that made Dally feel smug. After all, she hadn't come to visit Tim. Even when he had gotten arrested, she had stood right there, but when Tim was getting slammed against the hood of a police cruiser, she had run out of there alongside Soda. That made him feel pretty good too.

When the kid in Shepard's cell finally calmed himself down enough to sleep, Tim settled back onto his bench.

"Hey, Tim?" Dally asked.

"What?"

"That was a pretty decent fight."

"Yeah, it wasn't too bad," Tim agreed. "Kinda wish you hadn't gotten a couple of my boys arrested, though, especially this kid."

"Why are you takin' in preschoolers to join your gang?"

"Shut it, Winston. He's a buddy of Curly's and it's his first time getting hauled in. I'm kinda surprised he's lasted this long. I guess the deciding factor'll be the rumble. I hear he's a decent fighter."

"You know, I've been thinking about this rumble …"

"You gettin' chicken shit on me, Dal?"

"Fuck you," Dally replied. "I was just thinking that Ellie's gonna think this is all about her."

Tim was quiet for once in his fucking life, and Dally knew he hadn't thought of that.

"Then you're just gonna have to break it to her that the world don't revolve around her," Tim replied.

"Me?" Dally asked, propping himself up on his elbow to get a better look at his fellow inmate. "How the hell do you figure that?"

"You're her friend," Tim shrugged.

"Bullshit I am. She's your girlfriend. You break it to her that she ain't the center of the fucking universe."

"Then we'll both let her know which way is up," Tim reasoned.

Dally lay back down and stared up at the ceiling. "You do it, yet?"

"Fucking do what?" Tim asked, but Dally could hear the stupid smirk on his face. "I've done a lot of things. Things you'll probably never do, kid."

"You sure talk a lot, but I think you're full of shit," he replied. "You and Ellie is what I mean. Done the deed, yet?"

"You're awful concerned, huh, Dally?"

"Hey, I'm just asking man-to-man," he said, shrugging it off.

"Then I'll tell you when you're a man," Tim replied.

"Fuck you, Shepard."

"You started it, man," Tim replied, hardly trying to keep the chuckle out of his voice. "And I'll finish it tomorrow."

"Don't count your eggs before they hatch, buddy," Dally said with a laugh.

_The whole world has to answer right now,  
__Just to tell you once again who's bad._

* * *

_A/N: Let's get ready to ruuuuumble!!_


	35. A Little Less Conversation

**Disclaimer: Once again, we do not own the boys or the world Susie Hinton created, we just play around with it and hopefully we aren't messing it up too much. We try to do these boys justice. We also do not own Elvis' song "A Little Less Conversation," but it works so well for us.**

* * *

_A little less conversation,  
__A little more action please._

The sting of a fist against a jaw would be enough to stun anybody else, but Dally Winston wasn't just anybody else, and he sure as hell wasn't stunned. He was exhilarated. He could taste blood in his mouth, and he spit to the side, never taking his eyes off Tim Shepard.

"C'mon, Shepard," Dally taunted, still tasting the metallic tang of blood in his mouth. "I know you can do better than that."

Tim grinned back at him, licking the blood off his own split lip. "You don't wanna try me, Winston. Trust me."

"I think I do," Dally replied. He spit blood and saliva into Shepard's face which bought him a second's distraction. It was long enough for Dally to throw a punch into Tim's gut. When he hunched forward to catch a breath, Dally took the chance to throw a solid punch to Tim's face, knocking him backward and off-balance until he sprawled on his back. When he landed, Dally saw blood pour from his nose as Tim cursed, grabbing at his face to stop the bleeding.

Dally clenched and unclenched his fist, certain he had broken a knuckle or two on Shepard's hard head. He looked around at his friends to see how they were faring.

Ponyboy and Johnny had the upper-hand as they ganged up on one of Shepard's older boys, Todd Howell after they had already taken care of Curly. Todd was about as dumb as they got, with not much of a future but that of a small time hood. As Dally surveyed the scene, he realized most of them fit that bill, himself included.

Howell had gotten in a few punches himself, but Pony and Johnny were a small tornado of fury, mostly because they were underestimated. Darry almost didn't let Pony come to the rumble with some junk about him not being old enough. Man, if Darry knew the kinds of fights Dally had gotten into when he was younger than Pony, his skin would crawl right off of him. Either way, Pony's pleading had won over, along with the fact that they would have been sorely outnumbered without him and Johnny there to team up and help them out.

Soda seemed keen on taking on that Monty bastard, which was turning out to be a mistake for him. It seemed funny to Dally – as funny as was possible given the circumstances – that both pretty boys were trying to beat the hell out of each other's faces. Monty was going to win without a doubt until Darry stepped in to help his brother out. That was probably fine by Darry, considering his knack for fighting two guys at once. However, neither Monty nor the guy Darry was taking on by himself, George Ripley, had much of a shot. They both had about as much hope in winning as Rick Bradley did, which sure wasn't much.

Bradley was one dumb bastard, but he was generally a good fighter which wasn't surprising considering the amount of fight his sister usually had in her. Evie was one tough broad which was probably why she and Steve got along so well. Rick's current problem, however, was that he was taking on his sister's boyfriend, and nobody hated Rick more than Steve. Rick was going to be sporting a hell of a lot of broken ribs and a bruised ego considering the way his nose was already swelling.

Joey Phillips was a newer recruit of Shepard's and by the way he was curled in a ball at Two-Bit's feet, it looked like he wouldn't be a member much longer. Even over all the commotion of the other dozen guys fighting, Dally could hear Two-Bit cackling and cracking jokes like he was out having a beer with friends instead of crushing a kid's ribs to smithereens. He was one crazy son of a bitch, but Two-Bit was a good man to have on your side, especially in fights like these.

Tim had rolled to his feet, still wiping his face clean of Dally's spit and blood. He paced around Dally like a hungry animal and lunged when sirens rang out. Dally hit the ground hard and he felt the pang in his side as he hit the pavement. They were fighting downtown, around empty warehouses and industry buildings, far from either of their home territories and closer to the downtrodden apartments in the city that were less likely to call the cops on a little street fight breaking out. Dally climbed laboriously to his feet and locked eyes with Tim as the sirens echoed off the empty buildings around them.

"It's your move, Shepard," Dally said, feeling all of the Shepard boys stop fighting and look at their leader for advice that he couldn't give without looking like a coward.

Tim glanced around, obviously getting more agitated the louder the sirens grew.

"You know I ain't one to leave a fight unfinished," Tim said, "but I can't stick around for the fuzz to show and I know those boys can't stick around either."

Dally followed Tim's gaze to Darry who was fidgeting as much as he could without looking nervous. It would be straight to a boys' home if they were caught, and Dally would be lying if he said it wasn't pretty damned brave of all three of them to still be standing with the rest of them. Darry was staring right at Soda, though, his mouth stuck open ready to yell for them to beat it. They weren't about to budge, though, and he knew that was making Tim nervous.

"I know they got a lot at stake," Tim said, reading Dally's mind. "Better beat it."

"You've only got one strike left, don't cha, Shepard? Up to the big times if you get caught again, huh?" Dally replied. "You run, you lose. You know how it is."

The sirens sounded dangerously close, and Tim faltered. He nodded past Dally to his boys who slowly backed out of their own fights.

"I'll get you back for this, Winston," Tim promised.

"If you ain't in prison first," Dally replied with a grin.

"Fuck you," Tim hissed before he took off, pounding pavement into the dark alley.

The second Shepard's gang took off running, Dally's boys were on their heels. The rules of their rumble were the first ones to run were the losers. The rules didn't say jack about how long the winners had to stick around to enjoy their victory.

"You asshole," Tim muttered as Dally gained on him and they ran side-by-side behind a dumpster. A few moments later, the police sirens were deafening as they pulled into big lot behind them.

"Coulda stuck around a little longer and we woulda been running. Too bad you jumped the gun, Timmy Boy," he replied, leaning his throbbing head against the cool metal dumpster behind them. He was going to have one hell of a swollen jaw come morning.

"Shut up a minute," Tim said, leaning his head to the side of the dumpster to listen. "Where are they?"

The lights were still going, but the sirens were off and Dally could see the beams of flashlights moving around the lot where they were just fighting. Dally glanced around and, in the light of the police cars, could see a few movements way off down the alley. Every man had split in a different direction, which was going to work best for all of them so long as it was one of Shepard's boys the fuzz caught.

Tim jabbed Dally in the ribs and pointed at the dumpster.

Dally squinted in the darkness. "Are you shittin' me?"

Tim shrugged. "Unless you want to send me straight to the slammer."

"Doesn't sound too bad," Dally replied, watching the cops' flashlights trail down the dark empty alleyways around them.

"Get your ass in the fucking dumpster before I throw it in there myself," Tim hissed.

Dally looked around the side of the dumpster and waited until the cops had there backs to them before he stood up. He tried to hoist himself over the side but he felt a deep pang in his side and bit his lip before he groaned out loud.

"Give me a lift up," he told Tim.

"Why?" he asked incredulously.

"You broke my fucking ribs is why," he replied, waving his hand to make Tim hurry up.

"And you broke my nose. Again," he added, lacing his hands together to give Dally a leg up. "Fair's fair, sucker."

All of a sudden, Dally found himself being shoved into the dumpster, falling hard on his back on a sheets of discarded metal and broken down boxes. He groaned lowly as pain jolted through his body and he heard footsteps pound away from the dumpster.

"There he is!"

Dally lay quietly on his back, breathing deeply and trying to stay as still as possible as the fuzz jogged past the dumpster. His breathing calmed slowly as he realized the cops were chasing Tim – not that they were going to catch them with the way they were huffing and puffing – and not even aware that Dally was the one who made all the noise.

He lay there quietly until the cops came back, empty handed and long-winded. Listening to them swear back and forth about stupid hoods and crank calls to the cops, he laughed to himself at the stupidity of the cops and of himself. He shouldn't have ever trusted Tim to think he was going to hide in a fucking dumpster with Dally to keep them out of jail.

When the police lights finally stopped flashing and the car pulled out of the lot, Dally counted to a hundred before he attempted to move. When he finally did, he wished he hadn't. The sheet of metal he landed on shifted when he moved and he fell deeper into the dumpster filled with broken glass, busted pipes and other wasted materials. Slicing his hands open on the shattered junk inside the dumpster, he would have preferred to be laying in a dumpster at the Dingo. He got his wish when he waded further through the dumpster and hit a patch of oily gunk that he didn't even want to know what it was.

The waste bin was filled with materials from the factory beside him as well as the garbage left over from the company's cafeteria, and by the time Dally made it to the edge of the dumpster, he was covered to the waist with leftover food and his clothes were practically shredded from the scraps filling the bin.

He landed hard on the pavement when he pulled himself out and took a few gasping breaths before he continued to cuss Shepard for throwing him in the world's worst collection of shit. At least if he ever need to shiv somebody, he knew exactly where he could go to get supplies.

Limping away from the empty lot, Dally headed home, bloody, bruised, and smelling like trash.

_A little more bite a little less bark,  
__A little less fight and a little more spark._

He swung the front door open, only to find the gang sitting around the Curtises living room. Two-Bit was naturally the first to respond to Dally's appearance with a big laugh, but the look he shot him shut Mathews up pretty fast even though it didn't wipe the stupid grin off his face.

"What happened to you?" Darry asked. He was leaned back on the couch, an icepack on his eye.

"A long fucking story is what happened to me. You all made it past the fuzz?" he asked, scanning the room to count heads. He narrowed his eyes when he noticed the extra, girly head among the boys. Pony was missing but the shower was running, so he wasn't concerned.

"Yeah, we got out of there," Darry said, leaning his head back against the wall and closing his eyes. "It was close, though."

"Not that close," Soda piped in. "It's a good thing we can run faster than Shepard's boys."

"What's she doing here?" Dally asked, surprised and pissed off to see Ellie in the house.

Ellie glared at him from where she was cleaning up Johnny's face where Curly had bust it open.

"I can't be here after you idiots come back from a stupid fight?"

"Stupid fight or not," Steve said as he stretched out on the floor, "we won."

"It's still stupid," Ellie mumbled.

"That's 'cause your boyfriend lost," Soda said, trying not to laugh.

"Speakin' of, why ain't you over on Shepard's territory, takin' care of him?" Dally sneered. "He's the one that needs it."

"Sure," she said sarcastically. "Because you don't look like you just walked out of a cheese grater. What happened to you?"

"Why don't you go find Shepard?" he told her, ignoring her question.

"Why don't you grow up?" she retorted.

"Why don't you all shut up?" Darry suggested. "I've got a headache, so everybody just zip it."

"I've got to go home, anyway," Ellie said, standing up and tossing the roll of gauze she was working with to Johnny. "School tomorrow."

"Thanks for the help, El," he said.

"No problem," she replied as Pony stepped out of the bathroom, tugging a grease-stained shirt over his head.

"See ya, Pony," she said as she passed Dally. "Bye, guys."

"Bye, Ellie," Pony replied before he turned his attention to Dally. "What happened to you?"

Dally held up a threatening fist that didn't make much of an impact half a room away. "Nothing fucking happened to me."

"Really?" Ellie asked, halfway out the front door. "Because you smell like you went swimming in the trash. You sure you just won the rumble?"

"Wait until you see your loser boyfriend. Maybe you oughta go find that fucker and keep him from crying like a little girl," he called after her.

She rolled her eyes and pushed the screen door open with her back and held her hands up in mock surrender.

"He couldn't possibly be as whiny as you after _winning_ the rumble," she said, trying to hide a smile.

"Why are you so fucking happy? You're a loser by association you dumb broad," he said, spitefully.

She stared at him, her mouth hung open in a stupid smile before she waved them off and left.

"Stupid broad. She doesn't fucking get it," he said with a grimace.

He turned back to find the other guys staring at him and Two-Bit's mouth hanging open in a stupid smile.

"Is that where you were?" he asked. "Hanging out in the dumpster?"

"Shut your trap, Two-Bit," Dally growled. He started to sit down on the couch, but Darry gave him a shove.

"Floor," he said, pointing down at Dally's feet. "If you've been in the trash, you're not sitting on my couch."

The others were laughing but Dally was swearing under his breath as he sat down on the floor. He made sure to lean against as much of the couch as he could.

"Really, Dal," Darry said, his head leaned back and his eyes closed but a small grin on his face. "If you needed help getting out of there, Pony could have helped you over the fence. You didn't need to hide in the garbage."

_It's a groovy night and I can show you how to use it,  
__Come along with me._

* * *

_A/N: Whoo rumble! There is another chapter of News coming soon!_


	36. Nothing New

Disclaimer: As usual, we don't own any of The Outsiders. Only Susie does. We also don't own "Nothing New" by Ashlee Simpson.

_I find myself home again,  
__Waiting for the after call  
__From a fallout that feels like such a mess_

Wedging his fingers between the sill and the bottom of the window, Dally eased the window open and peered into the dark bedroom. The bed was made, and she definitely wasn't there.

Taking a quick glance around, Dally pulled himself through the open window and closed it once he was through. He hadn't been in her room in a long time, but as far as he could remember, it was exactly the same. Clean and organized and there wasn't much else to be seen in the dim light shining through from the streetlight.

Down the hall, he could hear her worthless mother bitching at her even more worthless stepfather and they both sounded like they'd been drinking since the sun went down.

He walked around, poking through a stack of records.

"You gotta be kidding me, princess," he muttered, picking up a Beatles' album. "The damn Beatles."

Shaking his head disapprovingly, he set the record back down and noticed the pile of discarded clothes in the corner. They were thrown there in haste, probably when she was trying to figure out what to wear on her date with Tim. That was the whole damn reason he was even here.

It was almost two in the morning and she still wasn't back. He left Buck's after seeing Tim's car and no sight of either one of them anywhere on the main floor. He wasn't about to go banging on doors, so he decided to scare the shit out of her when Tim dropped her off.

Falling back on her bed, he realized he didn't know why he was doing what he was doing. He broke up with her, even though it wasn't his intention when it happened. He knew as soon as she found out about him sleeping with Sylvia behind her back that she'd try to do something to get back at him, but he'd sorely underestimated her. He never once expected her to go out with Tim. And now he couldn't believe that she was spending the night with him.

Dally didn't want her back, but he sure as hell didn't want Tim Shepard to have her. He never expected this charade of hers to go on as long as it had. She wasn't supposed to fall for someone else; she was supposed to forget about all of it and let things go back to the way they were. Why didn't she know that?

_I can only be myself,  
__I'm sorry that's hell for you_

Sunday meant homework time, and Ellie usually needed Ponyboy's help when it came to her math homework. Pony wasn't so interested in helping her because he'd already finished his Friday night, so he was busy talking to the others. After finishing five problems, Ellie decided she was too tired to finish and snapped her book shut.

"You guys wanna play cards or something?" she asked, walking into the living room just as Dally walked through the front door.

She tried to ignore him, but it was hard with the vicious grin he had aimed at her.

"What?" she asked, suddenly uneasy. He was about to do something she wouldn't like. She knew it. He wasn't all that hard to read sometimes.

He shrugged and sat down on the couch beside Steve.

"You guys should ask Ellie here what she did last night," Dally said with a grin.

Six pairs of eyes turned to her at once.

"What'd you do, El?" Two-Bit asked, an eyebrow cocked with intrigue.

"Yeah, what?" Steve asked.

Darry walked out of the bathroom and sat down in his chair, looking at her like everyone else.

"Everything okay?" Pony asked.

"Everything's fine. I didn't do nothin' last night," she said, trying to shrug Dally's smug stare off of her.

Dally leaned forward, a shit-eating grin on his face.

"That ain't true, El. Why don't you tell them how you fucked Shepard last night," he said, mockingly.

Everything fell deathly silent, and all she could hear was her heartbeat throbbing in her ears. The rustling of newspaper snapped her out of it, and she finally found her voice.

"What the hell are you talking about?" she blasted.

"You and Tim. Did you think no one would find out?" he asked, sitting back with another smug look on his face.

"Ellie …" Two-Bit said, looking at her seriously.

"Shut up," she demanded. "Dally doesn't know anything. Nothing happened last night."

"Is that why Tim's car was parked at Buck's all last night, and you never came home? Because nothing happened?" Dally asked.

That was true enough, but she didn't feel like she needed to justify the reason she was out all night with Tim. It wasn't what they thought, not that they would believe her after Dally's announcement about something he knew nothing about.

"Did you even bother looking for him or me? Or did you just see his car there and wait for me to come out of Buck's all night long?" she asked, wanting nothing more than to lunge over the coffee table and go right for his throat.

"El, you're gonna get your feelings hurt if you start sleepin' with guys like Tim," Steve said.

"So what's that say about Evie?" she answered, crossing her arms and feeling satisfaction with the scowl that crossed his face.

"Yeah, El," Dally returned. "You can't go sleepin' with guys you don't got feelings for. You're supposed to love 'em and shit like that, ain't that right?"

Her insides twisted with his words and she once again forgot that there was anyone else in the room. He'd broken her heart and he seemed hell bent on never letting her forget it.

She walked towards him, ready to give him a piece of her mind, but no words would come to mind. As she stood there silently, Dally grinned at her and she could only think of one thing to do. The sound of her slapping him echoed in her ears, but it only made her feel slightly better. Expecting the backlash, she backed up and moved toward the door.

"Love and feelings and all that got me so far the first time, didn't it?" she asked, admitting to herself for the first time that she did, at one point, love him.

She couldn't stand there any longer with everyone watching her fall apart, so she bolted out the front door and walked toward home. With the way her hand was stinging, she wished she had punched him instead.

_So what's my damage today?  
__Don't let me get in your way_

This stupid broad had turned him into such a chump. Here he was chasing her across lawns, trying to catch up to her before she could make it home and slam the door in his face.

"Wait up, Ellie," he shouted, running to close the distance between them. "Slow the fuck down!"

She'd started running to get away from him, but Dally wasn't about to let a girl beat him in a race. He caught up to her on her own front lawn and grabbed her arm.

"Let go of me!" she cried, struggling against him.

"If I let go of you, are you gonna bolt again?" he asked.

She considered it for a moment before she finally shook her head. When he let go, she swung a fist toward his face and he grabbed her wrist again.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" he snarled.

"Why are you so damn grabby? I'm not your dog so quit yankin' me around!" she shouted, trying to pull her wrist free. "Y'all think that's the only way I'm gonna listen to you."

"Seems to be all that's workin' now," he pointed out. She had a determined look on her face, and he let go when she stopped trying to free her hand. He wouldn't put it past that damn broad to try to kick him again.

When she reached the front door, he was only a step behind her. He grabbed the doorknob and yanked the door closed.

"What are you doing?" she asked, frustrated.

"I'm tryin' to talk to you," he said.

She rolled her eyes and said, "You don't talk to anyone, especially not me. What you want to do is piss me off and make everyone believe it was me that cheated on you 'stead of the other way around. Ain't that right?"

"Well, since you fucked Shepard last night it seems kinda true to me," he said.

She let out an exasperated cry and tried to push by him. Dally pushed her back, keeping her pinned between him and the door.

"You are so full of shit," she said.

"Then where the fuck were you last night? Tim's car was parked at Buck's all night and you didn't come home," he told her.

"How did you know I didn't come home?" she asked.

"I just know that you didn't come home," he answered.

Slowly her jaw dropped open as she started to realize something.

"That's why my bed was all messed up when I got back earlier. Wasn't it? You snuck into my room, you perv!"

Ellie stomped down on his foot and though Dally knew he should have been expecting it, he still fell for it and moved enough for her to slide by him. She was stomping along the weed-filled flowerbeds toward her bedroom window.

"You know, I never said we was quits. So doesn't that mean _you're_ the one doin' the cheatin', princess?" he called. He knew it would stop her dead in her tracks.

"Excuse me?" she blasted, turning around and taking a few steps back toward him. "What?"

"When did I ever say we was done?"

Her face turned bright red, and he could almost see the steam rising out of her ears.

"When you took that whore of yours to bed, that's when it was over," she said. "And when I threw that stupid medal at your head, that was when it was _really_ over."

Sylvia wasn't anything. He didn't sleep with her to break up with Ellie; he slept with her because the damn broad was teasing him all night. She was an easy lay and he was pissed at Ellie, but he wasn't done with her. Ellie wasn't supposed to know, and she wasn't supposed to react the way she did.

"Well, you moved on pretty fast, didn't you, El? You thought it was over with us for what, two fuckin' days, and you were at party with that bastard? You gotta be fuckin' him 'cause I know Shepard wouldn't keep some broad around that won't put out," he said.

"Go to hell," she suggested.

"I'm already there," he replied, walking toward her again. She backed up a few steps but didn't turn to leave. "How long are you gonna hate me?"

Crossing her arms, she looked away. Dally didn't care if his parents or God hated him, he didn't want her to hate him and he didn't know why. He did know that it was eating him alive that she seemed to like Tim better than she liked him, and it pissed him off more that he even cared.

She looked up at him again, rubbing her arms as though she was suddenly cold. The animosity drained between them when he asked that.

"I don't hate you. I should but I don't," she confessed reluctantly. "And that's the problem."

That caught him off guard.

"What?"

A car pulled up on the street before she could answer and her mom got out.

"Well, well," she said. "What have we here?"

"Nothin'," Ellie said.

Abigail stood on the lawn, looking between him and Ellie with her eyebrows raised and a suggestive smile on her thin face.

"Is this your boyfriend, Ella?" she asked.

"No," Ellie replied firmly.

"Mmmhmm," Abigail replied, looking him up and down. "That's okay, baby. You could do better."

"Like you're one to talk," Dally observed.

"Mom, please go away," Ellie pleaded.

"I'm going, darlin'. I gotta go get ready for work anyway," she said.

_I listen to you complain and then  
__I bite my tongue in vain again_

Abigail sashayed into the house and Ellie didn't miss Dally checking out the length of her mom's skirt as she did so.

"You're such a pig," she said.

"And you're full of shit," he accused, focusing on her again.

"That's it. We're finished here," Ellie told him, following her mom inside. He grabbed her arm as she walked by and swung her around so she was standing in front of him.

"Are you kidding me?" she demanded.

"What did you mean by that?" he asked. He was holding her close enough that she could smell the menthol on his tongue from his last cigarette.

"Mean by what?" she asked, wanting to get away from him.

"Why's it a problem that you don't hate me?"

"I just meant that I don't hate you when I have every reason why I should," she tried to explain. She should have just told him that she did hate him, and that's all there was to it.

He didn't say anything; instead he tried something that in her mind seemed so completely desperate that it took her by surprise. Dally held her against him and leaned down and kissed her.

She yelped in surprise, and he let go of her. Ellie stumbled backward, tripping on a broken brick in the flower bed.

"What are you doing?" she cried, glaring up at him. "Are you crazy?"

Struggling to her feet she didn't even wait for an answer. She bolted for the front door, let herself inside and slammed the door in his face.

_Let it out like you always do,  
__The trouble between me and you  
__Is nothing new._

* * *

A/N: A kiss?! What does this mean for Ellie and Dally? Or Ellie and Tim?

To find out where, in fact, Ellie was last night, check out our sidefic to Tender, called Front Page Drive In News. See the facts Dally is ignoring . . .


	37. Ugly

**Disclaimer: We do not own The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton nor do we own the song "Ugly" by the Exies. **

**We're a few hours too early but we're expanding Good Fic Day.**

_"This fic/chapter is being posted as part of "Good Fic Day," an effort to raise the quality of writing here. We hope to encourage more writers to improve the quality of their own fan fiction - spell check, grammar check, keep the gang in character, outline, plot and don't use Mary Sues. Good fan fiction requires effort, and we would like to encourage other writers to rise to the challenge of producing better fan fiction, not only for our readers, but for S.E. Hinton, who created the wonderful book we are trying to honour."_

_

* * *

_

Are you ugly?

_A liar like me?  
__A user, a lost soul?  
__Somebody you don't know?_

Ellie was putting the final can of soup on the top of the tower of a spectacular canned food display in the front window of Joe's shop when she spotted Johnny walking down Front Street. He saw her in the window and grinned.

"Hey, Johnny," she said when he walked in the door. "What are you doing all by your lonesome?"

He shrugged. "Just trying to find something to do. Everybody's either at work or … "

"Or they're Two-Bit?" Ellie finished for him, propping up a sign in front of her tower of cans, announcing Joe's spring cleaning sale on canned goods.

Johnny laughed. "Yeah. And I can't find Dally anywhere."

"Hm." It was all Ellie could muster after her last encounter with Dally. He had kept his distance since then, and so had she.

"You guys still fighting?" Johnny asked casually.

"Fighting isn't exactly it. It's probably best if we just ignore each other for the time being. Where's Pony?" she asked, deliberately changing the subject.

"I think he headed down to the DX to hang out for a while until Steve and Soda got off work," he replied cautiously.

"I figured you two would be playing some football or something since it's so nice out," she said as Johnny followed her through the store.

"Maybe we will later when everybody gets off work. You wanna play, too? It'd make the teams even," he suggested, seemingly happy with the change of topic.

Ellie shook her head. "Probably not, but I'll root for you guys. Well, some of you guys," she added with a smile.

"Okay," Johnny replied. "I'll probably go practice some kicks before everybody gets there. Gotta try to get one past Darry this time."

She smiled. It had been a long time since the guys had all played a game of football, and it would be a nice change of pace for once. Hopefully it would get things back to normal.

"Do you want a Pepsi or something before you go? It's on me."

After a little convincing, Johnny finally accepted the bottle of pop, grinning his thanks as he walked towards the door to leave. Ellie followed him to the front of the store to put the finishing touches on her display and was startled when she saw a blue mustang pull in front of the store and four boys climb out.

Johnny leaned against the store front, looking like he didn't have a care in the world as they surrounded him, but Ellie didn't wait around long enough to see what was about to happen. She spun around and ran to the back of the store.

"Joe!" she called before she even reached his office. "Joe, you gotta come out here!"

"What's goin' on?" Joe asked, pulling his glasses off and tossing them on his desk.

"Will you tell those boys outside they need to leave?" she pleaded, trying not to sound as shaky as she felt. "They're going to give my friend trouble, and he didn't do anything."

Joe followed her to the front of the store. Ellie was relieved to see all the boys were just standing outside, even though Johnny was still surrounded by the others. The Socs were laughing and joking around it seemed, but it was clear to Ellie that Johnny was either the butt of the joke or not at all amused by it.

"Everything seems okay to me," Joe offered, slowing as they made their way closer to the door. He seemed to be on the verge of stopping and turning back to his office, but Ellie grabbed his arm.

"Will you please tell them they have to leave?" Ellie asked. "They were the same ones that came in here before when they . . . when I got jumped."

That was enough to convince Joe to step outside and run the boys off, even if they weren't exactly doing anything wrong.

She kept the door open with her foot after Joe walked outside so she could hear the exchange. She tried to ignore the way her hand was shaking on the door handle as she scanned the faces of the boys. Michael wasn't there, but the other four were familiar from the boys that visited her before she was jumped, and they were the same ones that always hung around Michael in the hallways at school.

"Can I help you boys?" Joe asked. He seemed to know well enough which one of the boys was her friend and which were the troublemakers.

"No, sir," said one of the boys. He put on his best innocent expression which made Ellie resist the urge to snarl in disgust.

The only boy standing there whose name she knew was Richard Vinson, and he spoke up next. "We were just asking for directions. We got a little turned around."

Ellie couldn't see Joe's face, but she knew he wouldn't buy it.

"Now, boys," he said, "y'all look like you know exactly where you're at, and I know where you're goin' now which is away from my store."

Richard clapped Johnny on the shoulder, and Ellie saw him just barely flinch at the action.

"Sir, we were just havin' a chat. We weren't causing any trouble."

"They were just asking for directions," Johnny piped in quietly. Ellie was impressed with how calm he sounded. "Like I was sayin', you just go down to the second stop light and turn left and the library's right there. Big brick building. Looks like it holds a lot of books. There's even writin' on the side of the building. You know, 'Library'?"

Richard smiled at him – a toothy, fake smile – and clapped him on the shoulder again. "Thanks, pal." He turned his attention to Joe. "Sorry to make a scene. We'll be on our way now."

Ellie watched all four of them climb back into the mustang, and she made eye contact with Richard. He gave her the same sickening smile he just gave Johnny before he gave her a slight wave of the hand. She jumped in spite of herself when he slammed the car door shut.

"Everything okay, son?" Joe asked.

Johnny nodded. "Sure, it's fine."

Joe walked back inside and Ellie held the door open for Johnny to follow.

"Why don't you hang out here for a while, Johnny?" Ellie offered. "We can walk home together and find that game of football."

"Nah, it's fine," he assured her. He looked back out the window in the direction the mustang drove. "They were just messin' around. Unless … " He trailed off and looked at her closely. "Were those the guys that messed with you?"

Ellie fidgeted with her hands. "No," she lied, "but some of them look familiar, and they look like they're up to no good."

"You wanna call somebody for a ride home when you get offa work?" he asked.

Ellie hesitated for a moment. Normally, if it were Dally or Steve, she would shrug it off just to prove herself tough enough, but Johnny wasn't looking at her like she needed to prove herself.

"If you can't find anybody, I can stay 'til your shift's over," he offered. "That is, if Mr. Thompson don't mind me hanging around."

"Let me call around," she finally decided. "I don't want you wastin' your whole afternoon over a bunch of nonsense."

After several phone calls, she finally got in touch with Two-Bit. He told her he would be there early even, but Ellie had her doubts about that part of the promise.

"You're sure you'll be fine?" Johnny asked.

She nodded. "Yeah. Go practice for the game tonight. Two-Bit'll walk me home. Thanks for waiting, though."

"No problem. I'll see you later tonight."

"Hey, Johnny?" she called before he walked out the door. The more she thought about those boys being around, the further her imagination ran away. "Be careful, okay? Who knows what they're up to."

"I'll be fine," he assured her. "You see how many people are out this time of day? Ain't nothing gonna happen."

"You sure you don't wanna wait around and go with me and Two-Bit? It won't be much longer before I get off work."

"El, you saw them head off that way," Johnny reasoned. He pointed in the opposite direction. "I'm heading that way. It'll be fine."

Ellie sighed. "All right. Just be careful."

"I will," he assured her. "Thanks again for the Pepsi. See ya later."

"Bye, Johnny," she called after him. She hoped he was right.

_Money, it's no cure,  
__A sickness so pure._

Ellie took the last bag of trash out to the dumpster behind the store and walked around the building to wait for Two-Bit to show up. She knew he wouldn't be early or even on time like he promised. She finally saw him making his way down Front Street, taking his merry time.

"Hiya, kid," Two-Bit called as he sauntered towards her. "Been a while since we've done this, huh?"

"Yeah, I guess so," she replied, pulling her sweater tighter. It had been such a nice day, but it was turning into a cold evening. Those early days of spring were always the best and the worst.

"How was your day?" he asked as they walked down Front Street.

"Fine," she replied, glancing around as they walked, hoping they didn't walk right into a blue mustang full of socs. "School and work. The usual. What about you?"

"Oh, a little of this, a little of that," he said. "The usual for me, too."

Two-Bit filled her in on all kinds of gossip he had heard from his loitering that afternoon. She now knew who was dating whom, who was sneaking around on whom, and who was thinking about sneaking around. She didn't recognize half the names, but Two-Bit seemed to assume she knew them all to great extents.

"I tell you, Billy sure is gonna be pissed when he hears Patricia stepped out on him with that sleazeball Frankie. That's gonna be one hell of a fight, and I'm aiming to have front row seats," he rambled as they walked. "Any gossip on Shepard's end I don't know about?"

"Not really," she said, paying enough attention to offer a response when he expected one. "You're worse than a girl, Two-Bit."

"I just like to know what's going on," he said with a laugh.

The light was fading from the sky, but Ellie was still scanning the roads for any signs of a suspicious looking car while still nodding along to Two-Bit's story and giving him the proper signs of her faked interest.

She felt a million times better when they reached their own territory and everything appeared to be fine. That was until she saw the small huddle of boys in the lot that met at the corner of St. Louis Street and Columbus Avenue. She couldn't tell who they were from that distance, but her stomach plummeted at the sight of them kneeling around something. Without seeing their faces, she knew exactly who it was and who they were surrounding.

"Ellie!" Two-Bit called after her as she ran towards the boys. "What the hell?"

He must have finally seen what she had seen because suddenly he was beside her as they ran to join Steve, Soda and Pony. She heard another set of feet pounding the sidewalk behind them, but she didn't care to look back at who it was.

"Oh, my God," she whimpered when she came to a stop behind Steve. Johnny was lying in front of them, and Soda was helping him to sit up. He was bloody and beaten, and she had to look away. It had just been a little while earlier that everything was fine, and now he was laying here, barely conscious. And the only thing she could think about was how it was all her fault. Hers and the Socs.

How could she have been stupid enough to only worry about herself and her own safety when Johnny was the one walking home by himself? Feeling sick with guilt, she sank to the ground when her knees were too weak to support her anymore.

Darry suddenly had his hand on her shoulder and kneeling beside her, and she realized he was the one who was running behind her and Two-Bit.

"He'll be okay," he assured her as everyone else was crowded around Johnny. "We'll take him home and get him cleaned up. He'll be okay."

Ellie only nodded as she stared at the ground. A set of boots stepped into her vision and she knew they were Dally's. Slowly she looked up at him as he took in Johnny's injuries. She knew how angry he had been after she had been jumped, and she was scared to see his reaction firsthand.

Dally stepped back from them, cursing under his breath, looking paler than he usually did. She knew he would be a lot of things at that moment, but she didn't expect him to look ill.

That was when it all finally made sense to her. The same sickening twist in her stomach, past the guilt and worry, was the same way the guys had after she had been jumped. They had the same feeling of helplessness that she had now, and she couldn't believe she had been so blind to that for so long.

Darry's hand was still on her shoulder and she placed her hand over his, giving it a squeeze. She was sorry. For her own actions, for the shape Johnny was in, for not understanding why she should have spoken up before.

"It's okay," Darry told her quietly. "Everything's okay."

Ellie swallowed the lump in her throat as best she could. He could say that as many times as he wanted, but it didn't make it true. It wasn't okay.

_We are dirt, we are alone,  
__You know we're far from sober._

Dally couldn't sit there and do nothing. He wouldn't do that again. Johnny didn't deserve to be beaten like that. To be left alone in the middle of the lot, hurt and scared, until someone found him.

No one was doing anything except for sitting there, watching Darry and Soda clean him up. He tore his gaze from Johnny and looked at Ellie where she sat against the fireplace beside Two-Bit. She was studying him carefully and met his glare when he looked her way. She didn't look away from him; she just held his gaze. He couldn't read her expression at all which he found surprising. He expected her to be the one cleaning up Johnny or to be sitting there crying. He expected something, but she only sat there, staring at him.

First her, then Johnny. He could feel his blood burning as it pumped through him, and he felt closer to exploding than ever before. No one was going to mess with his friends again and get away with it.

Tearing his eyes away from hers, Dally turned and stormed through the kitchen, heading for the back door.

"Dally," he heard her call to his back. He ignored her and pulled the door open, slamming it in her face.

He was halfway across the backyard when he heard the door open again, when he heard her bouncing off the steps and running after his long strides. He circled around the shed and stopped behind it. Clenching his fist, he started taking everything out on the wood.

"Dal," she said, pleading with him.

He punched the wall harder.

"You're going to hurt yourself," she reasoned.

Dally pulled his arm back and punched the shed as hard as he could. When he pulled his fist back, there was red smeared over the peeling white paint. He looked at her and she looked with wide eyes from his bleeding knuckles to his face.

"Are you finished?" she asked solemnly.

"No," he told her.

Clenching his fist, he hit the wall again and again. His punches came in quick succession, one after another, hitting the wall harder and faster with each hit.

She reached for his arm, but he pulled it away from her and punched the shed again. He could feel the bones aching with every hit, but that didn't stop him. He swung his arm again for good measure, enjoying the jolt of pain that shot up his arm as his fist connected with the wood.

"Dally?" she asked timidly.

"What?" he snapped.

"What are you going to do?"

"Christ, Ellie. What the hell do you think I'm gonna do?"

She leaned against the shed, and he waited for her typical pleading to leave it all alone. He waited for her to tell him to forget about it because he would just get himself jailed.

"I hope you're gonna go after them," she said after a long pause.

"What?" he asked, unable to hide his surprise.

"It was a mustang, a blue one, and four Socs," she said.

"Yeah, I know," Dally said. "That's what Johnny said."

"No," she said. "I mean, we saw it earlier, and I know who one of the Socs was. I don't know who the other ones were, but I know one of them."

"Whoa," he said. "What do you mean you saw it earlier?"

She closed her eyes.

"Ellie, what the hell are you talking about?" he demanded.

"When I was at work earlier, Johnny had stopped by and when he left, a mustang pulled up and they were giving him a hard time," she said slowly, looking at him for a reaction.

"You knew they were making trouble for him and you didn't do anything?" he asked.

"I asked him to stay until I got off work," she offered. It was a weak excuse.

"But you didn't, and now you see what happened to him?" Dally yelled. He knew he was taking it out on the wrong person, but between her and a rickety old shed, she was an easier target. She reacted.

She closed her eyes and looked for all the world like she was going to cry.

"I tried to get him to stay, but I was more worried that they were waiting for me," she said. "I thought they were waiting on me because I had gotten one of them detention a while ago and . . . I thought that's what it was about. The one I recognized is the one that started calling me Frankenstein. I didn't think Johnny was going to get hurt. They went the other way."

"Oh, yeah," Dally said sarcastically, "Princess is afraid the whole world revolves around her. She thinks the only thing anyone thinks about is how they're going to hurt her. Kid, you ain't that special."

He watched her sink down to the ground and put her head in her hands. He ignored the shaking of her shoulders as she cried right there in front of him.

The backdoor opened and shut and Dally could hear voices heading their way. He patted his pockets for a smoke and finally found one as Two-Bit, Steve and Soda walked towards them.

"Everything okay?" Steve asked, eyeing the bloody white paint in front of Dally.

Dally held up his bloody fist. "It's fine."

"Who won?" Two-Bit asked.

"Go to hell," Dally replied.

"Is she okay?" Steve asked.

"Ask her why Johnny's beat to hell in there," he suggested.

"What?" Soda asked.

Ellie wiped at her eyes, smearing her make up, and took a few steadying breaths but didn't look up at any of them. She tried to say something, but she started crying again.

"Christ," Dally muttered. He could count on one hand the amount of times she'd cried in front of him.

Soda gave Dally a nasty look and shoved past him. He sat down next to Ellie and put an arm around her shoulders.

"What's going on?" he asked, looking up at Dally.

"It's my fault," Ellie whimpered. "I shouldn't have let Johnny go."

"Shh," Soda said, pulling her closer. He turned his attention to Dally. "What the hell is this about?"

"These assholes stopped Johnny while he was at Ellie's store. They messed with him there, and then she sent him on his way so he could get jumped," Dally said.

"That's not true," she sobbed. "I tried to make him stay, but I didn't know …"

"Nobody coulda known," Two-Bit said. He looked at Dally. "Back off, man."

"Somebody's paying for this," he said. "There's no question about that."

"You bet somebody is, Dal," Steve said. "Just back off her. It ain't anybody's fault but the goddamn Socs."

"Is he going to be okay?" Ellie asked softly.

"He'll be fine," Dally said. "The assholes that did it are the ones that're gonna need help."

"I'm going home," Ellie said, standing up and smoothing her skirt. "I don't wanna be here right now."

"Want me to walk you back?" Steve offered.

She shook her head and wiped her eyes again. Dally felt like telling her how she looked like a raccoon with all that make up, but he didn't. She walked away without acknowledging him. He shook it off and told himself he'd deal with her later.

_We are fake, we are afraid,  
__You know it's far from over._

* * *

_A/N: Oh no! Poor Johnny! What does Dally have up his sleeve?_

_Stay tuned everyone. There are only a few chapters left!_

* * *


	38. Behind Those Eyes

**Disclaimer: We do not own Susie's characters or 3 Doors Down's song "Behind Those Eyes."**

_

* * *

I've been down the wrong road tonight  
__And I swear I'll never go there again_

Ellie knew it was too much to hope that the guys would let her walk home alone after Johnny was jumped, so she wasn't too surprised when Steve caught up with her at the corner of St. Louis and Columbus. She was surprised - and thankful - when he walked her home in silence. She wasn't in the mood to talk, but neither was he.

"Nobody's home?" he asked when they reached her dark house.

Ellie shrugged.

"You need to go somewhere and you call somebody, got it?" Steve told her. "I don't even care if you gotta call Tim. Don't be walking by your lonesome."

She nodded weakly. She didn't even have it in her to argue.

She made her way into the dark house, feeling so numb she didn't know how she was still standing up. She couldn't erase the image of Johnny lying on the ground, shaking and in tears. She couldn't wrap her brain around someone being able to scare him so terribly when his own parents were so awful.

Guilt sat like a lead block in the pit of her stomach, even though she knew, deep down, that it wasn't really her fault. She had no idea those guys would track Johnny down, but she couldn't help feeling like she should have known somehow.

She went into the kitchen, not bothering to turn on any lights as she walked through the dark, empty house. She got a glass of water and sank to the floor against the cabinets. She gulped the water down so fast it made her insides hurt. Wiping her mouth on her sleeve she listened to the silence that was crushing in on her. She thought about calling Tim, but she didn't think he'd be home and she wasn't in the mood to try to track him down. She wasn't about to go against Steve's warning not to walk around town by herself. Knowing him, he was probably sitting under her bedroom window waiting for her to ignore what he said. She laughed a little at the mental image but stopped suddenly. She wondered if she was hysterical.

Filling her glass with water again, Ellie walked down the hallway and went into her bedroom. She let out a yelp when she found Dallas Winston sprawled across her bed.

"Jesus, you scared me," she said, holding a hand over her heart and sloshing water out of the glass.

"Yeah?" he asked, sitting up.

Setting the glass down, she crossed her arms across her middle, trying to keep herself from falling apart in front of him. After the way he treated her at the Curtises and just days before, she wasn't interested in spending anymore time with him.

"Please stop breaking into my room," she said, trying to hold on to her annoyance, but she couldn't ignore the fact that she was glad she wasn't alone. He wasn't exactly the company she wanted, though, and she couldn't figure out why he would bother coming to her house after what happened. "What do you want?"

He stared at her for a few seconds, his mouth open slightly, hung up on something he wanted to say but didn't. Instead, he got up and walked across the room to her record player. He pushed aside a few albums and held up her Beatles album.

"What the fuck is this?" he asked, waving it in front of her.

Ellie snatched it out of his hands and set it back on the stack behind him. He couldn't yell at her one minute and then try and make fun of her the next. If he wanted to try and beat the information out of her, he could because she was expecting it, but he wasn't doing that. She couldn't deal with him being anything less than she expected.

"What do you want?" she repeated, feeling too drained to deal with him.

He reached out and tugged on a curly lock of her hair and she took a step back. He closed the distance and pinched her leg where her skirt didn't quite fall as far as it used to.

"Stop it!" she demanded, jumping back. "What's the matter with you?"

"Just wonderin' when you turned Soc on us and started listening to shitty music," he replied.

Ellie slammed her glass of water down on the table beside her bed, ignoring the water that splashed out.

"Why do you think you can treat me the way you did back there and then act like nothing happened?" she asked, sitting down and taking steady breaths to keep herself from crying. She was so tired of him treating her however he wanted with no regard to how she felt. She was tired of ignoring the way he treated her. She was just tired of it all.

Dally was quiet at that accusation, and Ellie felt like the silence was a small victory.

He slowly paced in front of her before he finally sat down next to her.

"The kid's in bad shape," he said after a moment.

Ellie swallowed hard at that statement. She realized that was what she had been waiting to hear earlier. She didn't want to hear the empty promises the guys were telling her that he was fine and everything would be okay because she knew that it wouldn't. Now that she heard the truth, though, she wished she was still in the dark about it all.

Dally seemed to notice the way she sat rigidly beside him, hardly breathing at all. He moved a little closer to her.

"You were in bad shape, too," he added. "Ain't like he needs a hospital or nothin'."

"Ain't like he'd let anybody take him to a hospital," Ellie said quietly.

Dally let out a dry chuckle. "Yeah."

Even though she wasn't looking at him, she could feel him watching at her. Her hair was tucked behind her ear and she knew what he was looking at and what he was thinking about. She told herself that she understood why Dally and Steve and everyone else was so up in arms when Michael jumped her and why they just wouldn't listen to her. But seeing Johnny as hurt as he was opened her eyes a little and watching Dally take in the scene was too much. Did he look at her like that when she was in the hospital? She couldn't remember. That mix of anger and concern seemed so strange on him, but it reminded her how much he actually cared about his friends, even when he was treating her like shit. She just wished she could go back to a time when all she cared about was being his friend and nothing more.

Still not looking at him, she moved her head enough to free a few locks of hair so they covered her scar. She lost her breath completely when he brushed it back and cupped her cheek in his rough hand. On the outside, her scar had healed nicely and only faintly lined her cheek. With the help of her new girlfriends, she was finding it easier and easier to cover it with makeup. But on the inside, it felt like it still burned as bright as it had when the stitches were first removed and she hated it.

"What are you doing?" she asked again, struggling to breathe.

He turned her face so she was looking at him and she realized that it really was a problem that she didn't hate him. Without even trying, he could still turn her to mush.

His lips brushed hers and she leaned into his kiss. For as mad as she had been with him for months, it wasn't difficult to fall right back in sync with him. Even though she was feeling herself falling head over heels for Tim, she felt herself falling for Dally even harder all over again, despite the way he had yelled at her earlier that evening. It didn't matter that he blamed her though; she blamed herself enough for the both of them.

Dally leaned into her and she gave in as she lay down and allowed him to follow. She didn't stop him until she felt him undoing the buttons on her shirt.

_I've seen this face once before  
__And I don't think I can do this again_

"I can't," she said, turning her head to the side.

"Break up with him," he said, kissing her throat.

She tried to sit up, but he wouldn't let her. She was a damn liar.

"Get off," she demanded, even though her voice was threaded with tears.

"Look at me," he told her. When she wouldn't, he put his hands on either side of her face and forced her to look at him. Her eyes were swimming with tears.

"What?" she asked, her hands were planted on his chest, trying to push him away.

"Why is it such a problem that you don't hate me?" he asked.

Tears spilled down her cheeks and soaked into his hands. He knew she was going to lie to him, but the answer was written all over her face - she still had feelings for him.

"I'm not going to do this to Tim," she said, avoiding his question.

"Christ, did you have to bring him into it?" he said, sitting up. Whether or not he meant the current conversation or into their whole break-up, he wasn't sure, but she could take from that statement whatever she wanted.

She bolted up, wiping at her tears and sniffing back the rest.

"What am I supposed to do?" she asked, wiping her hands on her skirt. "We're ... I-I can't do this anymore."

"If you don't hate me, then I don't see the problem," he said. "You can't have it both ways."

"I don't get you! You're the one who wants it both ways, " she cried, burying her face in her hands. "You keep making me feel like shit that we're over and then the next day you keep actin' like you want me back. You broke up with me, Dally! You musta slept with her because you couldn't stand me no more. Why are you doing this to me?"

"Because you're fuckin' around with Shepard and I don't want you doin' that," he roared. "I wasn't done with you."

He couldn't tell her it was because he knew that since the first time he kissed her he knew that he'd hurt her at some point. He didn't know how to tell her that he wanted things to be like they used to be almost as much as he wanted back to the way they were before they broke up.

"Well I wasn't done either, but you made that choice for the both of us," she said.

"You sure moved on fast. Shepard must be a fuckin' prince," he said, sarcastically.

"I can't keep going back and forth and back again just because you can't make up your mind. I've made up mine," she said, sitting back down again. "I can't be with you because I know … I know you're gonna break my heart again. Tim won't."

It took everything he had to not laugh right in her face. If she thought Tim wouldn't hurt her at some point, she was dumber than he ever thought she was. Dally knew he fucked up because he got caught, but Tim wasn't exactly the type of boyfriend material she was making him out to be.

"Sure," he said sarcastically as he stood up. "Don't come cryin' to me when he fucks you over royally. I ain't pickin' up the pieces."

"You're the one that broke them in the first place," she said softly.

What the hell was he supposed to say to that? He knew it was true and there wasn't any point in him trying to dispute it. It was easier to just get the hell out so he could ignore it.

He was almost to the front door when he heard her running after him.

"Wait," she begged.

He didn't want to and pulled the door open. She slipped between him and the door and forced it closed.

"What?" he asked, impatiently.

As she tried to catch her breath, she reached out and took his broken hand in both of hers. Her fingers grazed his busted knuckles and without looking up at him she said, "Is this what it was like when I got jumped?"

All he could remember about the night was Darry telling him not to do anything stupid when he was standing over her hospital bed. He was mad as hell and seeing Johnny hurt like that was a lot of the same.

"Yeah," he said. "But Johnny ain't gonna tell me not to do anything about it."

She dropped his hand.

"Do you think he'll be okay?" she asked.

"He'll be fine," he said, without really knowing.

"Will we be okay?"

"That depends on you," he told her.

"I didn't sleep with Tim," she confessed, looking up at him. "He got in a fight and he got his face busted open. I stitched him up and it was so late I just stayed the night."

Dally was surprised by that gem of a confession, considering he hadn't heard anything about Shepard being in a fight. He tucked that piece of information away for another day. "Why would I give a shit?"

She rubbed her forehead and let out a sob.

"Quit bein' such a girl," he told her, pushing her aside and pulling the door open. He walked across the yard and down the street without looking back.

_Is there something here to believe  
__Or is it just another part of the game?_

It took a few hours for Ellie to pull herself together after Dally nearly broke her in two again. She didn't want to believe that she'd ever felt so strongly for him, but when he was so close like that she was drawn to him. Her grandma always said that you fell harder for your first loves than anyone else.

It was after dark and she wanted to head back over to Pony's to see how Johnny was. She hoped Steve hadn't gone back over so he could walk her back.

Before grabbed a jacket and - after locking her window nice and tight - headed outside.

"I knew you weren't gonna listen."

Even though she was expecting it, Steve still scared her half to death.

"You shouldn't sneak up on people," she accused, pulling the door shut behind her.

"I didn't sneak up on you," he said, leaning on the front step. "Want a cigarette?"

"If you want to talk, just say so," she said, sitting down beside him.

"Okay, let's talk," he said. He took a long drag of his cigarette and handed it off to her. He pulled a switchblade out of his pocket and flicked it open.

"Steve …" she started.

"Listen, if those guys were lookin' for you, and even if they weren't, I want you take this," he said. He turned it around and offered the handled side to her. She took another drag and handed the cigarette back and carefully took the knife from him. The handle looked black, but as the yellowy glow from the streetlight caught it she could see it was a deep red.

"I'll show you how to use it later, but take it now," he said, closing the blade for her. "It's an old one of mine, nothin' fancy, but enough if you need it. You better not need it, but if you do ... well, there ya go."

"Are you sure I should?" she asked, feeling the heft of the metal in her hand. "Don't you think that if anything happened that I might …"

"Not if you use it right and you will. I'll make sure of it," he said.

"Thanks, Steve," she said.

He handed the smoke back to her, and she finished it as they sat and listened to the night for a while.

"What did Dally want?" he asked, out of the blue.

Just the thought of what had happened made her want to start crying again. She hated how she lost it in front of him - in front of everyone - and she wanted nothing more than to just swallow her emotions right then and there.

"Nothing," she answered, but she knew Steve would hear the lie.

He tossed an arm around her shoulder and Ellie leaned into him. She had thought that Steve was as angry with her as Dally, but unlike Dally, Steve was like a brother to her and that sort of bond wasn't as easily ruined.

"Thanks," she said.

"For the blade?"

"No ... well, yeah, I guess. That too. Thanks for not hating me," she said quietly, knowing how dumb she sounded.

"Hate you?" He let out a hoarse laugh. "You're nuts. I don't hate you. None of us do. It wasn't anybody's fault but the Socs. Quit beatin' yourself up."

She let the conversation end there. That wasn't what she meant, but it didn't matter. At least he didn't hate her for being so dumb as to not listen to him about Dally in the first place. If she would have just believed that Dally was the asshole Steve made him out to be, it would have saved her a whole lot of heartache.

_There's something I can't see,  
__There's something in the way you smile._

Steve led the way into the Curtises' house as Ellie stayed a few paces behind. Her stomach plummeted when she saw Dally sitting in the living room through the front window of the house. When she stepped through the threshold, she felt nauseous at the smug look on his face. He was proud the way he made her crack and she hated herself even more for letting him have that kind of affect on her.

"How's he doin'?" Steve asked, glancing at Johnny. He stood in front of Ellie, enough so that Dally was blocked from her sight, and she wondered if it was pure luck or if he had noticed Dally's reaction when they walked in, too.

"Been sleeping off and on," Darry said. He looked past Steve to Ellie. "He wanted to know where you were. He thought they were looking for you too."

"Show 'em what I gave you," Steve said, giving her a nudge.

Ellie fumbled with the switch, then held it up like it was a snake about to bite her.

"Steve, I don't know if that's such a good idea," Darry warned slowly. "If something does happen - "

"Then she'll have something to fight them off with," Steve replied coolly. "Don't worry about it. I'll show her how to use it."

Two-Bit stumbled a little when he stood up and when he got a little closer, Ellie could smell the beer on his breath. "Lemme see," he said.

He moved his hand slightly and the blade shot out in a heartbeat.

"Shit, Steve," Two-Bit said. "My grandma's got a better knife than this."

"Well give her yours then," Steve said, snatching the knife back. "Show her how to use your pride an' joy."

Two-Bit looked her over and then looked at the blade Steve had given her.

"Well, I guess she needs something to learn on," he said, turning back to her. He gave her a wink. "Okay, El-la, this is how it's done ... "

Darry shooed all of them out to the backyard, save for Pony and Dally as Steve and Two-Bit started their lessons. She tried to pay attention and learn the tricks and moves they were teaching her, but she just wasn't in the mood. Soda sat on the back steps laughing at the scene.

"Hold your hand out like so," Two-Bit said carefully, blinking several times as he looked at the blade. "Guess I had a little too much to drink. Did you give her two blades, Steve?"

Steve snatched the single blade out of his hand. "The only thing he's gonna show you how to do is how he can cut himself while he's drunk. This is how you need to hold it."

Ellie watched him hold the blade lightly in his hand and when Two-Bit took a step towards him to take it back, Steve flicked a finger against a button and the blade shot out the front.

"Keep a looser grip on it than that," Soda suggested from his seat on the sidelines.

"What, you think you're better at this than me?" Steve asked, pointing the switch at Soda now. "Why don't you get off your ass and come out here and show her better?"

"Nah," he replied, stretching his legs out in front of him. "I'm too comfortable over here. 'Sides, it's too funny watching you guys show her the wrong way to do it."

"Yeah, right," Steve scoffed. "I ain't never seen you with a blade. Ellie here could probably take you. Show him what you've got, El."

Soda grinned at her. "Don't even think about it, kid. I'd hate to have to hurt you."

"In your dreams, Soda," Ellie replied, and Two-Bit hooted with laughter.

The backdoor opened and a shadow was cast over the lawn where they were working. Ellie lost the smile that was briefly on her face. For just a few minutes, the guys had let everything go back to normal, and she felt guilty for going along with it. Darry stood there watching them, and she felt herself come back to reality quickly.

"Hey, El?" Darry said, holding the door open. "He's askin' for you."

"Johnny?" she asked in surprise.

"Yeah."

Inside things were eerily quiet for the Curtis house. Pony was sitting in Darry's chair reading and Dally was standing guard near the front door. He looked like he was getting ready to bolt and was just looking for an excuse to leave in a huff. She tried to keep her head high as she walked into the room and knelt in front of the couch where Johnny lay.

"Hey, Johnny," she said, barely above a whisper.

He rolled over a little so he could face her, the dim lighting wasn't enough to hide how badly his face had been beaten. She sucked in a little breath when he winced.

"You okay?" she asked, afraid to touch him.

"Just fine," he said with a tired smile. "You're okay?"

She swallowed back the tears she felt creeping up her throat.

"I'm fine," she swore.

His hand moved back and forth weakly, motioning between their faces. "You an' me . . . we're gonna have the same scar, huh?" he asked, a forced smile on his face.

Ellie looked at his bruised, swollen face and felt the one thing she knew he would hate for her to feel: pity. Johnny said the guy who hit him had a bunch of rings and she knew that he would be carrying those scars forever without much hope of them fading enough to hide them. He wasn't as lucky as she had been, and she hated that it took this to make her realize lucky she really was.

"Yeah, kid, I guess we will," she said.

Dally started cursing under his breath but loud enough for her, Johnny and Ponyboy to hear. She avoided turning to look at him, but the sound of the door slamming told her what she needed to know.

"Is he okay?" Pony asked, joining her on the floor.

Ellie looked from Johnny to Pony and back to Johnny.

"He's just itchin' for a fight," she said, not entirely lying.

Johnny looked at the ceiling, keeping any thoughts or comments he may have had about an impending fight to himself. He wasn't encouraging it, nor was he going against it. Ellie closed her eyes and leaned her forehead against the edge of the couch. She should have done that from the beginning. Maybe then, none of this would have happened.

_And there's nothing I can say  
'__Cause I'm never gonna change your mind  
__Behind those eyes you hide._

* * *

Do the guys actually have a plan to get back at these guys or are they just all talk?

What is Dally's deal with Ellie? Is Dally right that Tim's just going to break her heart all over again?

Check out our other story, Front Page Drive In News, to see how Tim got his face slashed.


	39. Headstrong

**Disclaimer: We do not own The Outsiders, but Susie Hinton sure does. We also do not own the song "Headstrong" by Trapt.**

* * *

_Circling your head,  
__Contemplating everything you ever said_

School was becoming more of a pain than a release these days. Ellie always liked school because it got her away from home and everything else. She got to hang out with her friends and sometimes she was even good at it. But this school year, everything had changed. She was sick of Will Rogers and all of the people and the teachers. But what she hated more than all of that were the Socs.

She was walking beside Pony as they made their way upstream to their Algebra class.

"Did you get number six okay?" he asked.

Ellie shook her head. She'd barely even tried to do her homework the night before. The only reason she had anything done was because she found she couldn't sleep thinking about Johnny and the mess with Dally.

"I don't think I did it right," she said, wondering if she'd even made it to that problem.

"Hold on," he said, stopping by the water fountain.

Some guy stepped behind Pony, seemingly waiting in line to use the fountain next, but instead put his hand on the back of Pony's head and forced it down into the cool stream of water.

"Hey!" she protested, jumping into action but was stopped when another boy shoved her up against the wall and kept her in place. Ponyboy was flailing his arms around and trying to push backward to get the other boy off of him.

"Stop it!" she yelled, tearing her eyes away from Pony to the boy keeping her captive against the wall. Michael stared down at her and Ellie's insides twisted up, but she didn't back down. She tried to force her way past him, but he knocked her books out of of her arms and pushed her back again.

"Let's go, man," Michael said, laughing at her efforts.

"See you later, grease," the other one said.

The curly haired guy let go of Ponyboy, and they walked down the hallway together. Ellie watched as Pony wiped water from his face and tried to push wet hair out of his eyes.

"Are you okay?" he asked her.

She barely heard him. Her heart was beating too loudly in her ears as she watched Michael walk down the hallway like he owned the place. He thought that no one could touch him, but she was itching to set the record straight.

"Ellie?" Pony called to her.

Reaching into her bag, she dug around until she found gold and tossed the bag at Pony. She took off after them, knowing that Michael wouldn't expect what he was about to get.

No one saw her trying to catch up to him, and he certainly didn't see it coming when she kicked the back of his knees. Michael Holden went down like a ton of bricks.

_Back off, I'll take you on,  
Headstrong __to take on anyone_

It only took a few seconds for Pony to realize what she was going to try to do, but by the time he realized, she was too far away for him to do anything about it. He lost sight of her for a moment, but he saw Michael Holden fall face first to the ground. After that, he lost sight of everything as students gathered around for the fight.

With the speed and agility of the track star he trained to be, he pushed his way through the crowd and tried to break through to the center ring. He wasn't making much progress, and he caught glimpses of Ellie sitting on top of Michael's chest through the gaps between the students' heads.

"Oh, shit," he muttered. This wasn't good at all.

If he couldn't get to her, he needed to find someone that could. Frantically he searched around for any sign of Steve or Two-Bit or the few guys in Shepard's gang who actually came to school. He would have settled for his new lab partner, even if he was a Soc. From his vantage point he couldn't see anyone, so he kept trying to push through. As far as he could tell no one was really fighting and he couldn't figure out why everyone was standing around waiting for something to happen.

It wasn't until he pushed by a few more kids that he saw what everyone was watching - Ellie holding a switchblade against Michael Holden's

cheek.

"Oh, shit!" he repeated, trying even harder to push through, but it was too late.

Mr. Leery was coming up behind the fracas and Pony felt the blood drain from his face.

"Pony!"

He looked around wildly at the sound of his name to see who had called for him, and he saw Steve trying to push his way up to him.

"What the hell is she doing?" he gasped. "Christ, I shouldn't have given that to her."

It didn't matter now because the fight was about to be broken up, and there was nothing they could do to undo what she'd done.

_Now I see the truth, I got a doubt  
__A different motive in your eyes_

She wasn't thinking at all, but everything was going in her favor. She had to knock him down and was sitting on top of him with her knee poking sharply into his chest, but the only thing that was going to keep her from getting the blunt end of this fight was to pull out the switchblade Steve had given her. It was the only way to keep him down and ensure that he was really listening to her.

The sound of the blade flicking out gave her chills and a sense of power over him. She had sat up the night before, turning the knife over and over in her hands until she knew every scratch on the handle, every nick in the paint, but she never got used to the sound of the releasing blade. Michael flinched under her and she could see the fear and uncertainty in his eyes. She hoped the blade was cold against his cheek. She wished she had the nerve to laugh in his face, but she was scared too. She only hoped he couldn't see it on her face.

No one was going to mess with her or her friends ever again.

"I never said anything to anyone about us. As far as my friends are concerned, we'd never met. We aren't family, and we have no business with each other. So you and your friends are gonna back off. You understand me?" she said, seriously.

"You're fucking crazy," he said, spittle hitting her hand.

She pressed the knife harder against his skin, but not hard enough to draw blood.

"Just graduate and go away," she demanded through clenched teeth. "Just go away."

Someone grabbed her arm and yanked her to back and to her feet, she slid the blade up her sleeve as fast as she could in the process. She tried to shrug out of the grasp but she felt the blood drain from her face when she found herself face-to-face with Mr. Leery. She really didn't need to give him another reason to hate her.

"Why am I not surprised to find you in the middle of a fight?" he asked disapprovingly. He looked down at Michael who was picking himself up. "Holden, get up and get to class."

"What?" Ellie protested, watching as Michael grinned smugly as he pulled himself up from the floor.

He ignored her and shouted at the students still standing around, "All of you get to class. Now!"

With a grip still on her arm, Leery led her through the fracas in the hallway. Half the kids in the hall - kids she didn't even know - were calling her name and telling her how she did a good job. The other half were staring daggers at her. There were a few in the mix that looked either surprised or maybe even scared. She wasn't sure.

She caught sight of Pony and Steve standing up against the lockers. Pony looked worried, and Steve looked absolutely sick. She tried to smile, a weak gesture in the face of the trouble she was bound to be in, and looked away. She was thinking about the switchblade she had hidden up her sleeve and how she was going to get rid of it without Leery noticing. She thought about dropping it and letting it get lost on the floor, but she was too afraid to let go.

Someone bumped into her from behind, nearly knocking her over. Leery steadied her and Ellie looked to the person beside her who had a hold on her wrist. She was surprised to find Curly standing there with a proud grin on his face. He threw his other arm around her shoulders and walked with them a few feet.

"Way to go, El. I didn't know you had it in you," he said.

"Shepard, you get to class as well," Leery demanded, stopping the middle of the hallway.

She watched Curly out of the corner of her eye and elbowed him subtly, slipping the blade a quarter of an inch out of her sleeve. His hand was already there, palming the knife.

"Mr. Shepard!" Leery commanded. "Get moving."

With a wink, Curly stepped into the crowds, and Ellie lost sight of him and her new switchblade.

_Conclusions manifest,  
__Your first impression's  
__Got to be your very best_

Ellie had never been in Principal Greene's office, but she'd heard enough about it from Two-Bit to not be too surprised. She knew, for example, that Greene had played football at OSU and had game balls and pictures all over his office. There was a paddle hanging on the wall behind his desk. Two-Bit said Greene never used it, but he had it there to scare students into behaving. Right now, it was working and the open window to her right was looking like a worthy escape route.

The door to his office opened and Mr. Greene walked in. He sat down behind his desk and opened a file he carried in with him. There was a drawn out silence before he looked up at her and said anything.

"Miss O'Hare," he began, "this isn't the first time this school year you've been in trouble."

She didn't say anything, and he continued.

"Several detentions, tardies and other write ups from your teachers. Your grades are decent enough, but I can't say I'm surprised to see you in here," he said.

She knew what he was getting at, but she still didn't speak up. She stared at her lap and clenched her teeth, readying herself for what he was going to say.

"With the company you keep, I'm surprised we've made it this far into the school year without meeting in my office," he said, closing her file and staring her down. "Keith Mathews … Dallas Winston. If you want to succeed in this institution, young lady, these are not the friends you need to be keeping. They will get you nowhere but in trouble, and not just with me."

Her eyes were burning and she wanted to speak up, but she knew it wouldn't do her any good.

"And please don't tell me you're friends with Charles Shepard as well," he added. "Mr. Leery said that he congratulated you for the debacle in the hallway."

She pulled her gaze away from her lap and looked him straight in the eye. "A lot of people congratulated me," she corrected.

"Attacking a student is not a way to gain respect, Miss O'Hare. In fact, all it will get you at the moment is two weeks suspension," he said. "And you'll be sent home for the rest of the day."

"What about him?" she asked.

"Him who?" he replied.

"Michael Holden," she said, spitting out his name like it left a bad taste in her mouth.

"What about him?"

"Isn't he going to get in trouble, too?" she asked, trying to hide her desperation. She didn't really care if he got in trouble or not - she was sure she scared the shit out of him - but if she was going to get suspended for two weeks, she felt he should at least get detention.

"And why should he? From what I've been told, you were the one that attacked him and he didn't fight back," he said. She opened her mouth to argue, but he held up a hand to stop her. "That brings up another issue. There are students saying you had a knife. Now, considering you aren't a defensive tackle, young lady, I am wondering how you kept a football player at bay."

"I didn't have a knife," she said, her voice unwavering at the lie. Lying to Greene wasn't nearly as difficult as lying to Dally. "I just know how to fight."

"That is not the way we expect ladies to act in this school," he said.

"And I'm sure you don't expect your star football players to be pushing kids' heads into water fountains and jumping kids in the middle of broad daylight, either," she spat. "But you're letting them get away with it."

"Do not give me attitude, Miss O'Hare. If I get more facts, I will punish those necessary."

Ellie looked at all of his football regalia and rolled her eyes. Michael Holden would never be held accountable for anything.

"I will pretend that I didn't see that," he said, picking up the phone on his desk. "Is your mother at home?"

_I see you're full of shit  
And that's alright_

The secretary kept looking up from her typing to make sure Ellie was still sitting there. It was a good thing because Ellie felt ready to run for the hills at that point. She'd never been in so much trouble in all her life.

Waiting for Jimmy to come pick her up was like waiting for Judgment Day. Of course the day she gets sent home from school for fighting, her mom had to work a double at the diner. Jimmy wouldn't be able to resist not picking her up when she was in trouble.

She was too busy nervously studying her fingers to notice Curly walk into the office and sit down beside her.

"You're practically a legend now, you know?"

He was grinning stupidly at her. She wasn't exactly in the mood.

"I can't wait to tell Tim," he said, giving her a light jab in the arm. "He ain't gonna believe it."

"Hey," she whispered, eyeing the secretary to make sure she wasn't listening, "thanks for grabbing that."

Curly slid his arm around her shoulders, and she let it rest there. If he wouldn't have just saved her neck as much as he had, she may have been disgusted.

"No problem, kid. I couldn't let you get busted that bad," he whispered back. "Want me to break you outta here?"

She bit her lip, seriously tempted by the offer, but decided against it. She shook her head.

"I gotta face the music eventually. I'd rather do it sooner than later," she whispered. "My step-dad's already on his way to get me."

His face contorted at that statement, and he glanced toward the door and back at her. Leaning close to her ear, he whispered, "Two-Bit's gonna cause a distraction."

The words sunk in just as the office door opened and Two-Bit strolled in. He winked at her and, with a broad smile, went up to the secretary's desk and rested on the counter in front of her. His other hand was stuck in his jacket pocket. Ellie thought she heard something squeaking, and she kept a close eye on the scene in front of her.

"Mrs. Campbell," he said with a sunny sweet drawl. She looked up from her typing and didn't smile back.

"Keith," she greeted flatly.

Ellie wanted to laugh because most people didn't know that Two-Bit's real name was Keith. The only people who called him by his first name were the ones that worked in the front office, and that was only because when they pulled his file, they pulled it for 'Mathews, Keith.'

Beside her, Curly was edging out of his seat and his hand wrapped around hers, leading her in the direction he was about to run toward. After only a few seconds hesitation, she started inching her way with him, keeping an eye on Campbell.

"Mrs. Campbell, you're not gonna believe what I just found in the hallway," he said, animatedly.

"Get ready to bolt and head for the front doors," Curly told her.

She nodded.

"What did you find?" Mrs. Campbell asked, annoyed.

From her vantage point, Ellie watched as Two-Bit slipped his hand out of his pocket unbeknownst to Mrs. Campbell. She tried to stifle her surprised laugh when he pulled out two of the lab mice from one of the science classrooms.

"I had to chase 'em down, but I got 'em just for you," he said, stretching his arm across the desk and dropping both mice into her lap.

The instant Mrs. Campbell started screaming and flailing, Ellie followed Curly in a mad dash out of the office and through the hallways.

"Go! Keep runnin', you two!" Two-Bit shouted behind her as he ran to catch up with them. "I'm right behind you!"

It was still in the middle of the class period, so the halls were clear. It was perfect for a quick getaway.

Curly still had a tight grip on her hand and she glanced over at him. He was grinning ear to ear and she couldn't help but laugh at how ridiculous it all was. She glanced behind them at Two-Bit and he was grinning just as much as they were.

They burst through the front doors and Ellie wondered briefly where they were heading now. Two-Bit hadn't driven to school that day and Curly wasn't old enough to drive. Her question was answered when she saw Steve parked in the front row of cars. He peeled out when he saw them and met them at the curb. Curly opened the back door and Ellie slid in beside him, pulling the door shut.

Two-Bit was only steps behind them. Instead of opening the passenger door, he slid in head first through the open window.

"Go, Steve!" he yelled, cackling as he tried to pull himself in the rest of the way. Steve burned rubber as he pulled away from the curb with Two-Bit's feet still hanging out the window. The four of them were still laughing when they hit the main drag.

"Was that necessary?" Steve asked, glaring at Two-Bit.

"What?"

"Jumping through the damn window?" Steve asked.

"Well, was anybody following us?" Two-Bit asked when he finally got himself turned right side up and sitting in the passenger seat.

"Not a soul," Curly replied.

"All that work, and Greene wasn't even there to see it?" he asked.

"Greene can't run that fast," Steve replied.

"It was good practice for the next time I need a quick get away," Two-Bit told Steve.

Ellie was still smiling to herself about everything that just happened when she spotted a familiar truck in the oncoming traffic.

"Oh, no," Ellie groaned, sinking down in her seat.

Curly glanced at her and then outside to see what she saw. "What's up?"

Ellie waited a few moments before she sat straighter. "That was my step-dad, and he picked up my mom from work."

For a brief few minutes, she had forgotten about the terrible sentence that hung over her head.

"El, don't worry too much about it," Two-Bit offered, glancing back at her. "What's the worse they could do?"

She sunk further into her seat again. "I don't know. I ain't never been in trouble like this before."

"Then it's about time you had some fun," Curly said.

Steve looked back at her in the mirror. "Want another few hours of freedom before Judgment Day?"

"What could it hurt?" she finally asked. She couldn't get into much more trouble than she was already in, and she didn't want to face that just yet.

_I see your fantasy,  
__You want to make it a reality._

"I couldn't believe it when I saw it," Curly said, giving his own detailed version of the way the fight looked to him as Steve drove down The Ribbon. "Knife to his face and all that jazz. That Soc looked like he was about to shit his pants."

"You know that ain't why I gave you that knife," Steve said, looking back at her in the mirror like he had every few minutes. It was like he couldn't believe what she did either.

"I know," she said. "It was the only thing I had, though. They had pushed Pony's head in the water fountain and they were just going to get away with it."

"Well, that was a hell of a kick," Steve said with a grin. "Right in the back of the knees. He might be on the injured list when it gets around to football season. There goes his scholarship to OSU."

"I had come up with a pretty good idea to get back at the Socs who've been running the show all year long," Two-Bit said, clasping his hands together behind his head and leaning back in the passenger seat, "but now, I don't think we'll need to do that. Ellie did a damn good job scaring Holden."

"What were you plannin'?" Curly asked, mischief painting his face.

"Well, you know the whole Senior Send-Off thing they do at the end of every year?" Two-Bit asked. "The superlatives, the awards, the Mr. Senior contest?"

"All that bullshit they make us sit through every year to worship the Socs," Steve added.

"Yeah, all that," he replied. "I was thinkin' of some ways we could make it a little more ... interesting for the rest of us poor folk."

"I like this idea," Curly said, leaning forward in his seat. "I may not skip school that day."

Two-Bit sighed. "I don't think it'll be necessary this year, though. I think Ellie set 'em straight today."

"Nah, man," Curly whined. "She just sent the first message. We send the rest."

"Who said you were in on this, kid?" Steve asked. "Why are you even in my car?"

"Because your girl here was about to get into the biggest trouble of her life for carryin' a blade, that's why," Curly said. "Now, I want in on this or her blade - your blade - goes straight to Greene's office with a note explainin' everything."

"You wouldn't do that," Ellie said, horrified at the thought.

"Wouldn't I?" he asked, with a twisted smile on his face. "You think you guys are pretty slick, winning that fucking rumble by forfeit, but you ain't shit. Wait 'til I send this switch up to Greene, wrapped with a letter and a neat little bow."

"Tim would kill you," she threatened.

Curly didn't even flinch and she decided instead that she would kill him if he gave Greene that knife.

"Now, Curly," Two-Bit drawled calmly, "that ain't why we said you weren't going to help us with the Senior Send-Off. We don't even know if we're doing it."

"You're doing it, all right," Curly replied. "And I'm in on it. I'm sick of these fucking Socs, and I'm sick of you trying to take credit for everything. I'm in on it and Rick is, too."

Steve rolled his eyes at the mention of Evie's brother, but Ellie could see him in the rear view mirror as he cut his eyes over at Two-Bit who nodded ever so slightly.

"Fine," Steve declared. "You're in on it, you little shit."

Curly leaned back in his seat with a grin on his face. "Now that's more like it. What's the plan?"

"Well, I've got a few tricks up my sleeve," Two-Bit assured them all, turning around in his seat to look at them. "And it's all about good ol' fashioned humiliation."

_I know that you are wrong  
__Headstrong, we're headstrong._

* * *

_A/N: Ellie kinda really snapped, huh? Stay tuned for News and the last few chapters of Tender!_


	40. Lying

**Disclaimer: We do not own _The Outsiders_ or "Lying is the Most Fun a Girl Can Have Without Taking Her Clothes Off" by Panic! at the Disco. **

_

* * *

_

Is it still me that makes you sweat?  
Am I who you think about in bed?

There were too many people buzzing in and out around her. All she wanted to do was be somewhere quiet with Tim.

The high she felt after jumping Michael had worn off quickly when she went home to face the music. She didn't really want to face it, but she knew it was better to deal with it sooner than later. Her mom had actually called her by her full name. Ellie had never been in enough trouble with her mother for her to refer to her as Ella Margaret before.

Ellie had played her part of insolent teenager to the fullest and stormed out mid-fight when she heard Tim pull up outside. She didn't even have to call him to have him show up. News traveled fast, especially when it involved a Soc getting jumped by a girl at school, and she was sure Curly didn't waste any time running back and letting Tim know every detail.

Tim had suggested the Dingo and Ellie only said yes because she didn't have a better idea. She was trying to come up with a better one when people wouldn't stop coming up to their table to see if the rumors were true. And by the time Curly, Rick, Monty and his date Nancy, Two-Bit, Kathy, Steve, Evie, Soda and Sandy had pushed tables and chairs against hers and Tim's, she was nearing the end of her rope.

"Two whole weeks?" Kathy groaned. "I can't believe he suspended you for so long. All you did was knock him down."

"Yeah," Ellie said. "It coulda been worse, I guess."

"It woulda been worse if he woulda caught you with that blade," Curly exclaimed, giving Two-Bit a challenging look. Knowing he still had that knife made her nervous as hell, even if she didn't really believe he would give it to Greene.

Steve closed his eyes for a few seconds and Ellie felt sick thinking about how awful he would have felt if she had been caught. He looked right at her when he opened them and she offered him a weak smile.

"Sorry," she mouthed to him.

He shrugged it off and winked at her. "You jumpin' Socs wasn't exactly what I had in mind when I gave you that, but whatever works, kid."

All conversations subsided when Dally and Sylvia walked in to the place and up to the table. She wondered whether or not he had heard about the whole incident at Will Rogers.

She did all she could to avoid eye contact with him, but it wasn't easy. Their kiss was sitting heavily on her mind. It wasn't so easy to get it off of her mind when he was sitting so close to her, with his girlfriend on his arm. She wanted to be sick.

"Christ, Shepard. What'd you do to your face? Ellie do that to you?" Dally asked, yanking a chair over and squeezing himself and Sylvia between Steve and Soda.

"I looked at your mother," Tim said, coolly.

"And you had yours stitch it back up?" Dally returned. "We've already got Frankenstein here. I guess that makes you the Bride, huh?"

"Fuck off, Dally. There ain't no one's face as ugly as your pale mug," Tim retorted.

Ellie did her best to just sink into the booth and behind Tim, but she could still feel Dally staring right through her.

"Hey, Ellie?"

That voice was like nails on a chalkboard to her. Reluctantly, she sat forward enough to look at Sylvia and tried her best to avoid eye contact with Dally.

"What?" Ellie replied shortly.

"Did you really try to knife that Soc?" she asked, cracking her gum.

Ellie didn't even have to say anything. Two-Bit and Curly started talking over one another trying to tell their version of what happened, and she didn't try to join in. She didn't think she could form any words as she made eye contact with Dally again. She hated that he was there with Sylvia, after what happened just days earlier when he kissed her, acting like nothing had ever happened. She felt like her heart had broken all over again.

_I've got more wit, a better kiss,  
__Hotter touch than any boy you'll ever meet._

As the waitress started bringing over trays and trays of food, Ellie had no appetite. Tim had barely uttered a word since they sat down and judging from his demeanor, she could tell he didn't want to be there either.

"You're quiet," he said, speaking into her ear.

"Yeah," she replied.

"You okay?"

She whispered into his ear, "Can we get outta here?"

Looking down at her, he asked, "Where?"

"I don't care. I just don't want to be here," she said, motioning to the table with her head.

"Let's go then," he said, taking her hand and not asking anything else.

She didn't know how but Tim made it possible to leave without much of a fuss. No one seemed to question that they were leaving; they just said their goodbyes and they left without looking back.

Tim was driving down the Ribbon and away from all of the hangouts. "Where to?"

"Just somewhere quiet," she requested, a plan already creeping from the recesses of her mind. She needed to get Dally and everything else out of her mind. She had a good idea of how to go about that, too.

Tim had barely put the car in park and turned the car off before she leaned over and started planting kisses on his lips. It didn't take him long to fall into sync with her, replying to her hesitancy with deep and lingering kisses.

There wasn't a lot of space, but despite that, Ellie straddled him as he still sat in the driver's seat. The steering wheel was pressing into her back, but it was his hands on her that made the cramped space feel so safe.

She touched his face, mindful of his stitches and recently healed broken nose, and felt his chest through his shirt. His heart was racing, and his hands on the bare skin of her thighs were on fire.

There were things she wanted, things she wasn't thinking through completely, but something she needed deep down to help her forget about why she couldn't hate Dally. She needed to be with Tim. He needed to help her edge out any feelings that still lingered for Dally, and maybe things would be different.

As her fingers grazed the button on his jeans, he slid his hands down her thighs and grabbed her hands in his.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"Getting you laid. What's it look like?" she asked, trying to kiss him again and he pushed her back a ways.

"Are you kidding me?" she asked, flabbergasted.

"Not really," he said, pulling her shirt closed where he had unbuttoned it. "Maybe some other time, but not now. You're ain't okay."

"I'm fine," she insisted. "I thought hoods like you didn't pass up a girl who's willin'."

"Is that some wisdom you gleaned off of Dally?" he asked.

She had never been mad at Tim, but right then she felt like slapping him.

"What do you want me to do?" she asked, frustrated.

"What you want," he replied. "What's wrong?"

"I'm fine," she told him.

"Bullshit. If you were fine, we'd still be sittin' at the Dingo hearin' how everyone thinks you're so great for jumpin' that Soc," he said. "This ain't like you."

Her insides started twisting into knots and she tried to shrink away from him, but he kept her in place. She didn't want to talk, and she thought that he'd understand that. Dally would have already nailed her in the backseat, but for some reason Tim had an ounce of control. She knew it was stupid to think that getting closer to Tim would make him think anymore of her or to help her forget about how she still felt about Dally, but she was willing to play into the hands of her own naivety. Being with him would help her get Dally out of her head. She could lie to herself and tell herself that she knew what she wanted.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing," she lied again.

"Bullshit," he said, calling her out. "Everyone is kissing your ass over how you jumped that Soc. You should be happy. Ain't no broad that's done that before."

"I snapped, okay? I shouldn't have done it and definitely not at school. Now I'm suspended for two weeks and every teacher is going to hate me and make my life a living hell for the next three years," she blurted. "And that's not even counting what the Socs are gonna do."

"The Socs ain't gonna touch you. Not again and definitely not on my watch," he said, tucking her hair behind her ear. "You didn't get kicked out, so don't sweat it."

"It was still stupid," she said, looking away. "I just ... feel stupid."

She wasn't just talking about holding a blade against Michael's face, she was thinking about Dally and all of her stupid decisions in the last few months.

"It wasn't stupid. You're a tough broad, Ellie," he told her. "And you just proved it to everyone."

"I think I'd rather go unnoticed," she said.

"You're not doing a very good job of that," he said, tipping her chin up.

It was silent for a moment before she met his eyes and asked, "When you're done with me, I'll be the first to know, right?"

She swore that her heart stopped into those empty second before he said something.

He kissed her softly and then said, "You'll know before anyone else. I'm not Dally."

She leaned into him again, trying to pick up where they left off. Leaving all her inhibitions behind, she shrugged her shirt off of her shoulders and went for the button on his jeans again.

"Whoa, whoa," he said, stopping her again.

She let out a frustrated sigh and covered her face with her hands.

"You really have to be kidding me," she groaned from behind her fingers.

"We ain't doin' this in my car. Let's go somewhere else," he suggested, but she heard a note of hesitancy in his voice.

"Where?" she asked.

"Buck's is as good a place as any."

She took a deep breath and nodded. As long as he wasn't rejecting her, she could do things his way.

_Think of what you did  
__And how I hope to God he was worth it_

Beside him, she was snoring softly, curled beneath the blankets. She was completely spent but he was ready to go again, and if she knew any better she'd be ready, too.

He blew smoke in her face and her lightly freckled nose scrunched up. She opened her pale green eyes and stared at him.

"What?" she asked tiredly.

Grabbing a handful of her curly, blonde locks, he leaned over her and kissed her roughly, knocking the blankets off of her and onto the floor as he worked to pin her to the bed. She fought against him, but he knew she liked it.

"Oh, Dal," she purred.

Sylvia wrapped her legs around his waist and he glared at her as he worked them both over the edge.

_So I guess it's back to us,  
__Cameraman, swing the focus_

Clad only in his jeans, Dally stood facing the foggy mirror in the only full bathroom in the upstairs of the roadhouse. He'd felt like a shower, despite it being the middle of the night, he needed to get away from Sylvia and he wasn't in the mood to deal with her shit if he were to kick her out. She must think she won some fucking prize because he left before she did.

Someone walked in and he wasn't too surprised to see Ellie standing there with her hand on the knob.

"Oh, sorry," she said, quickly turning around, but Dally caught her wrist and pulled her into the bathroom before she could run off. He put himself between her and the closed door.

She was staring at her bare feet, her arms crossed. He'd made eye contact with her when Shepard led her upstairs. She looked straight at him and kept looking at him right before she followed Tim upstairs and let him fuck her. Looking her up and down, he took in her tangled and matted hair, the smudged make up and the buttons on her shirt buttoned askew. He reached out and flicked her hair behind her shoulder and saw the love bite she was hiding from him. She definitely didn't wimp out for once in her life.

"It wasn't enough you uncrossed your legs for him, but I gotta look at that, too?" he asked, honestly disgusted.

Her hand flew to her neck feeling for the tender spot and blushing in the steam filled room. And then, looking up at him, he saw her studying his bare chest and he knew she was looking at the scratches that could only belong to Sylvia.

"You look like you fell into the trash again," she said, her comeback weak.

"Then I guess Tim had the same problem tonight I did, didn't he?" he shot back.

Her eyes were blazing when he said that, and he couldn't help but smirk. Pissing her off was just too easy and, personally, he was just glad she wasn't looking at him with tears in her eyes again.

"And what the hell tore you to shreds?" she snapped.

"I can't believe he actually slept with you," he said, running a hand through his wet hair and shaking his head.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" she said.

He moved out of her way and pulled himself up onto the grimy yellow counter of the bathroom sink. "I mean that you took so damn long to put out for him that I can't believe he stuck around long enough."

"Go to hell," she suggested, making a motion to leave. He kicked his foot up and rested it on the door knob so she couldn't.

"What is this bullshit about you jumpin' Holden?" he asked.

She just shrugged and stared at the floor. It pissed him off that she wouldn't let him do anything about that bastard, but she thought that she could. He couldn't deny, though, that he was slightly impressed that she had the balls to do something like that. But it wasn't like he would ever admit that to her.

"I just did it," she said, meekly. "I had to do something."

"That was all I wanted to do," he said.

"No, all you wanted to do was kill him. All I did was scare him," she corrected.

She couldn't scare a mouse on Halloween if she was really trying. He couldn't help but laugh at her.

"You really think you fuckin' scared him? You? That's like you takin' on Darry," he said.

"Well, I did," she insisted. "I had that knife and I think that's the part that did it."

Two-Bit had told him that much, but he was having problems believing she did actually did it. She was tough when she needed to be, but Ellie was still very much a girl and girls just didn't do shit like jumping football players.

"That was fucking stupid," he lambasted her.

She looked him right in the eye. "I know. And I'm sorry I did when I told you not to do anything to him, but I couldn't help it."

He just shook his head at her. It was such a wild thing to wrap his head around, he didn't have any other response for her.

"And," she added in a smaller voice, "I'm sorry about the other night."

He didn't expect her to apologize for anything, he expected her to fight him back tooth and nail, to yell at him, but she wasn't and he couldn't figure out why.

"You should be," he told her.

She ignored that comment and stood there silently for a few heavy seconds.

"Can I go to the bathroom now?" she asked finally.

"Yeah, all yours," he said, stepping down and standing just inches from her. She looked up at him with trepidation, wondering what he was going to do this time. It would have been easy to just pick another fight considering everything she'd been into that day, but he decided against it. He simply opened the door and stepped out into the hall.

_In case I lost my train of thought,  
__Where was it we that we last left off?_

Apologizing was not what she had ever intended to do, especially when he was the one that kept inviting problems between them in the first place, but she did anyway. It was as though she had to because she slept with Tim despite knowing how much it bothered Dally. But she'd slept with Tim to get Dally off of her mind. She tried to shake the conundrums out of her head, but she couldn't stop them from popping up because she'd never stopped having feelings for Dally. It spun her further out of control to sense that he still felt for her. And the craziest part of it all was that she felt sorry for Dally because of what she was doing.

She didn't know what to make of what had just happened because for the first time in a long time when she was faced with him, she wasn't eager to claw his eyes out. The way he was making fun of her reminded her of old times, before they ruined their friendship by getting to close to one another. It took too much energy to be angry with him all the time, it actually felt good to just be friends with him again. Or at least something resembling a friendship. There would always be that strain between them, especially if he kept trying to mock her involvement with Tim.

Wiping away the condensation on the mirror, she took in her muddled appearance and blushed in spite of herself. She was a sorry mess inside and out, and she knew it.

The hallway was dark except for moonlight shining in from the window at the end of the hall. She didn't see Dally standing there until he said something.

"It was good goin', kid," he admitted, nodding at her when she whirled around with a start.

She gave him a half-hearted smile at the compliment - the most civilized thing he had said to her in longer than she could remember.

"Two-Bit's got a plan to get back at 'em all somehow. He didn't say what, but whatever we're doin', we're doin' it soon," she said. "Are you in?"

"Like a log in fire," he said.

And just like that they both parted ways and went back to their own beds. Ellie slipped easily back into bed and jostled Tim awake. His dark blue eyes popped open and he looked at her in the darkness.

"Where'd you go?" he asked, languidly.

"To the bathroom," she said, deciding not to tell him she'd run into Dally.

"Hmmm," he responded. "Everything okay?"

She wondered if he could hear it in her voice when she hid stuff from him because he always seemed to know anyway.

"I'm fine," she replied, rolling on to her side. He laid his arm across her middle and pulled her against him, like he was locking her in for the night or something.

After a few minutes, he was softly snoring, but Ellie was still wide awake. With Tim's breath hissing in her ear and his body was keeping her warm, she realized that despite the fact she didn't hate Dally, nothing could really erase the hurt he caused her. Nothing would undue that pain, but she could try everything in the world to bandage it and hide it as best she could. And that bandage came in the form of another hood that was using her the same way she was using him. Ellie closed her eyes, wondering how her life every got so mixed up.

_Let's get these hearts beating  
__Faster and faster._

* * *

A/N: So, are things really going to improve with Dally? Or is she just going to regret getting even deeper with Tim?


	41. The Heat is On

**Disclaimer: As you know, we do not own The Outsiders by Ms. Susie Hinton. Nor do we own the song "The Heat is On" by Glenn Frey.**

* * *

The heat is on the street,  
_The heat is on the street,  
__Inside your head, on every beat_

The sound of the glass shattering made Ellie cringe.

"Two-Bit!" she hissed through clenched teeth. "Everybody and their brother heard that. Can't you be a little quieter?"

She'd gotten into trouble with them before, looking for kicks when there was nothing else to do, but she couldn't help but always get nervous. She didn't understand how they could all be so calm when the threat of getting caught was creeping up behind them all the time. Maybe she was just compensating for their recklessness.

He glanced over his shoulder at her before he hoisted himself up through the window of a dark classroom. "Take a deep breath, El," he said. "Ain't nobody around to hear it."

"Well, let's keep it that way," Dally muttered as Two-Bit fell through the window head-first. "Get inside 'fore somebody drives by and sees us."

"C'mon," Two-Bit called, waving his hand through the window. He draped his jacket across the window ledge to block any pieces of glass that were left. "Watch yourselves."

Curly pulled himself through without any hesitation and Rick was on his heels. Steve followed and reached a hand out to hoist Ellie up. Dally boosted her up with laced fingers, with a little more force than necessary. She caught herself before she could fall on her face, swearing at him under her breath.

Johnny was the next in the room with Dally giving him a more respectful boost through the window, and Ellie rolled her eyes at how childish he was sometimes. He pulled himself through the window without any help and cocky smile on his face.

"Alright," he said. "What's the plan now?"

"Hold on," Curly said, going back to the window. "Did you hear that?"

The seven of them crowded around the window and Ellie almost had a heart attack when she saw someone sprint across the wraparound drive that led to the front of Will Rogers and duck into the bushes outside of the school.

"What the hell?" Dally muttered.

"Somebody help me up!" the voice hissed from the bushes.

"Soda?" Steve asked.

"Yeah, help me up when the coast is clear," he replied, still hiding in the bushes.

All of them heard the car coming down East 4th before they saw the headlights, and Ellie felt them all release a sigh of relief when it passed without any hesitancy. There were enough trees to block the view of this particular classroom from the street, but they were still going to have to hurry.

"Alright, c'mon, Curtis," Dally said gruffly. He and Steve pulled Soda up and through the window in a heartbeat.

"I thought Darry said you couldn't come with us tonight," Steve said.

Soda shrugged with a grin. "What he don't know won't hurt him."

"Is this all of us or did you invite the cops along, too?" Dally asked Steve.

"Hey, Soda's just as in this as we are," Steve protested.

"Havin' another person'll just speed things up," Two-Bit said. "Let's get this show on the road."

_And the beat's so loud, deep inside  
__The pressure's so high to stay alive  
_'_Cause the heat is on_

They made their way through the dark school without daring to turn on any lights. Every footfall made Ellie take a sharp breath, sure they were going to get caught at any moment. Two-Bit led the way to his locker and lit a match to see as he spun the lock to do the combination. He pulled on the locker and it gave easily, pouring out container after container of dark liquid. All of them picked up the bottles that came to a stop at their feet.

"This is why you were buying all that syrup at Joe's?" Ellie hissed. After all the years she had known Two-Bit, she knew better than to question many of his actions - this prank for the seniors, included - and she had only rolled her eyes when he strolled up to the register at Joe's with an armful of Bob White table syrup. She should have known it wasn't for anything good, considering he could have lifted it from any other store in a ten-mile radius of Tulsa, and yet he was paying for it at Ellie's store.

"'Course it was," Two-Bit replied. "I told you I had a plan. Everybody grab some. There's more in here, and there's more in Kathy's locker and some in Ellie's 'cause I ran outta room."

"How'd you get my combination?" she asked.

"I watched you open your locker before," Two-Bit replied, setting another bottle precariously in her full arms. "Don't sweat it, kid. I didn't steal nothin' and you weren't usin' it anyway. I didn't think you'd mind."

"Did you pay for all of this?" Curly asked incredulously.

"'Course not. I bought the first few, 'cause I thought Ellie would catch on to the plan, but she never did, so I just lifted the rest."

Ellie shot him a glare.

"Not from Joe's," he said. "Downtown at Reasor's. They got all that space in their new store and they don't got a clue how to keep track of all their customers. Or their groceries."

Two-Bit told them to carry all of the syrup down to the auditorium and he would meet them there after he made a couple other stops.

The seven of them had their arms full as they marched down to Will Rogers auditorium and sank into the first few rows of seats while they waited for Two-Bit to come back. It was so dark in there Ellie didn't know how they would be able to do anything by the light of lighters and matches.

Ellie gently nudged Johnny next to her, mindful of how sore he probably still was. "Did he tell you what he was planning on doing?"

Johnny shook his head. "Not a clue. Do you know, Soda?"

"I've never seen Two-Bit so tight-lipped about a prank," he replied. "But I guess I've got a pretty good idea if it's got syrup involved."

Curly and Rick were already talking about what they thought Two-Bit was up to, but Ellie found it difficult to believe they could pull it off. She nearly yelped in surprise when the lights flashed on.

"Y'all don't have to sit in the dark," Two-Bit cracked as he walked down from the back of the room to join them at the front. "Ain't no windows for anybody to see us. Help me get this stuff on stage, guys."

All in all, he had four huge cooking vats from the school's cafeteria and pillow cases full of feathers. Curly and Rick had been right. Tarring and feathering the socs was Two-Bit's brilliant plan for the Senior Send-off. Ellie rubbed her face tiredly, but was mildly amused at the thought of feathering a bunch of tough socs. It would be a long night, but the pay off would hopefully be as sweet as the syrup.

_Caught up in the action,  
__I've been looking out for you_

Ellie didn't know how she ended up on Two-Bit's shoulders, but it had been quite the fiasco getting in that position. She balanced precariously, while Two-Bit kept steady, walking under the row of lights that Steve and Soda were lowering from backstage.

"You gotta tie the rope as tight as you can, El," Two-Bit directed. They had tried to lower the lights to the stage floor, but the ropes weren't cooperating and they had almost crashed to the floor more than once. Instead of trying to clean up that mess and ruining the prank completely, they opted to do what they could from where they could reach.

"I know, I know," Ellie muttered, her arms cramping as all the blood drained from her hands.

"No, more to the left," he corrected her.

"Here?" she groaned.

"A little further. Yeah, right there."

"How do you know this is exactly where these things need to be?" Curly asked, helping Rick hoist up one of the pots from the cafeteria that was filled with syrup so Ellie could tie it up.

"Oh, I skipped history today because I heard they were doing a little rehearsal for the big show tomorrow," Two-Bit said. "Figured since it was history, I wouldn't be missing much with it already happening and all. They had everybody in place and everything when I got here. It's almost like they were trying to help me plan this."

Ellie tugged on the rope to make sure it was secure. "Let go of it, guys. I think I got it."

Curly and Rick released the pot and the pot swung a little and then was still. The tracks held it without difficulty.

"Perfect," Two-Bit declared. He looked over at Dally and Johnny who were still filling the other vat with syrup. "You guys almost finished?"

"Yeah, just a few more bottles," Johnny replied.

"Can you save a bottle or two?" Ellie asked, holding onto the lights above her to keep her balance while Two-Bit repositioned them on the other side of the stage.

Two-Bit laughed and Dally glanced up at her.

"What are you planning, kid?"

Ellie shrugged with a grin on her face. "Only if we have time later."

"I'm teaching you well, kiddo," Two-Bit said approvingly, patting her leg.

"Hey, Two-Bit?" Johnny asked as they continued to work on hanging the vats off the lights. "With the syrup sitting all night, ain't it gonna be like molasses 'fore it dumps on 'em? It ain't gonna flow so well, you know?"

Ellie dropped her hands down in defeat. All this effort and it wasn't even going to work. "Are you kidding me?"

"Relax, El," Two-Bit said, motioning for her to continuing tying ropes. "They gotta turn the stage lights on during the whole shindig, and they're close enough to the lights that it'll heat up the syrup. Not ragin' hot, but hot enough for easy pourin'."

"You mean we ain't gonna scald them?" Dally asked with a grin. "We oughta rethink this."

"Are we almost finished?" Steve called from behind the currents. "I'm about to lose feeling in my arms if we have to keep holding these lights for you guys."

The guys tested the ropes and, finding they were sturdy enough, decided their prank was just about complete.

"Somebody help me down," Ellie said, tossing the final rope over the row of lights for Curly to catch on the other side.

Ellie ignored the faint fluttering in her stomach when Dally helped her down clumsily from Two-Bit's shoulders.

Two-Bit surveyed their progress and Ellie pretended to be more interested in that as she ignored Dally standing so close beside her. She mentally scolded herself, but she found it so hard to be angry with him when he was being civilized. Maybe she should have invited Tim along, too. That would have made things interesting.

"Do you need any help with your plans for the syrup?" Two-Bit asked with a grin.

Ellie shook her head. "No, it won't take too long."

"Why don't you two go on and do that," he suggested, nodding his head in Ellie and Dally's direction. "We'll finish up in here. Not much left to do but hide the ropes so we can dump the buckets with nobody seein' us."

"I won't be too long on my own," Ellie offered, but Two-Bit cut her off.

"You need somebody keeping an eye out if you're gonna be anywhere near windows. Go on."

Ellie was immediately wondering if she should rethink her plans as Dally followed her out of the auditorium and back into the dark hallway.

_The shadows are on the darker side,  
__Behind those doors it's a wilder ride_

"You're full of surprises, kid," Dally told her as he picked the lock to Principal Greene's office.

"What d'you mean?" Ellie asked, smiling mischievously as the lock popped and Dally pushed the door open for her.

"Pulling a prank on the principal two weeks after you were suspended for almost knifing the star football player?" Dally asked with raised eyebrows. "That ain't something you're known for."

Ellie grabbed the bottles of syrup out of his hands. "Yeah, well, things change."

"Guess so," he replied with a grin.

"Are you gonna keep a watch on the windows or are you just going to stand there?" she asked.

Dally gave her a smug glance and walked over to the window to look out briefly. "Coast is clear."

"Gee, thanks," she said, rolling her eyes.

"So, what's the plan?"

Ellie glanced around briefly. She wasn't exactly sure about what she wanted to do, just that she wanted it to be disastrous. Her eyes finally landed on Greene's beloved 1932 championship game ball that the Oklahoma Cowboys gave their star quarterback. Ellie rolled her eyes at the story that was ingrained on her mind after the short time she had been in the school. There wasn't a single student at Will Rogers that was not aware of the shut out, and it was no wonder why the football players at the school were treated so differently than the rest of the student body.

Dally chuckled from his place in the corner of the office. "You've got guts, I'll give you that."

She took a deep breath before she picked up the football and its stand. She placed it in the center of Greene's cluttered desk, talking while she worked.

"What's the big deal?" she asked with phony confidence. "Two-Bit pulls a huge prank, everybody laughs and moves on. I do something ... crazy, and people can't believe it."

"Can you blame 'em?" Dally asked.

She could feel his eyes on her as she unscrewed the top of the bottle. The syrup poured out thick and gooey, coating the football and the top of Greene's desk. She wondered if it were a little too harsh.

"I guess not," she reluctantly agreed. "It'd be nice to be a little more unpredictable, though."

"Trust me, kid, this is pretty fucking crazy ... for you."

Ellie tried to hide her smile, but she couldn't help it. It felt good to do something, even if it was stupid and childish. At least she was doing something for once instead of just letting things happen around her.

"Uh, El?"

"Yeah?" she asked, trying to get the last drop out of the first bottle of syrup.

"You might wanna hurry up."

"Why?" Ellie asked, looking up at Dally. Before she could even react, he was across the room, grabbing her by the arm and pulling her towards the hallway. She saw the beam of a flashlight from outside and stifled a yelp that threatened to explode from her.

"C'mon!" he hissed, still gripping her arm and pulling her along beside him.

They ran through the halls, and she was hoping their footfalls weren't nearly as loud as they sounded. The cops could probably hear them all the way down at the police station.

"We gotta get 'em out of the auditorium," Dally said as they ran.

"Then what?"

"Split up if we have to. Better that some us get hauled in than all of us."

"Oh God," Ellie muttered. Suspended, then arrested? Her mother would kill her, without a doubt.

"I said, we'll split up," Dally said, noticing her slight panic. "This would all be pretty pointless if at least one of you didn't get to see your handywork from the audience."

By the time they neared the auditorium, the other boys were already piling out.

"What's going on?" Two-Bit asked.

"Cops at the front," Dally said. "Split up. Duck into a classroom and look outside to see if you can see anything. If it's clear, go out the window and make a run for it."

"You heard him, boys," Two-Bit said. "I need at least two of you jailfree tomorrow, if we have any hope of pulling this off."

Dally kept a tight hold on Ellie's arm as they headed in the opposite direction of the others.

"Where are we going?"

"We're heading back to the front," he said calmly.

Ellie almost stopped dead in her tracks. Dally must have anticipated such hesitation because he braced himself against her pause and propelled her forward.

"If they were in here, we'd hear them by now. They like to announce their presence, you know?"

"But why are we running towards them?"

"Knowing them, they circled around to the back of the building, thinking they could cut us off. I'll tell you one thing: they ain't too bright."

"And we are?" Ellie hissed.

He suddenly stopped, jerking her to a halt beside him, and tugged her into a classroom.

"Get under the desk and stay there until I tell you to come out," he ordered, crouching as he made his way to the window. "It looks clear, but I can't see too well. Let's hang out here for a minute to make sure we're good."

Ellie was crouching under the desk when a thought suddenly occurred to her.

"Dally," she hissed, when he had grown silent.

"What?"

"You ain't gonna leave me under here like they left you in the dumpster?" It came out sounding like a question in her moment of panic.

Dally chuckled. "I ain't gonna strand you in here to take the fall, if that's what you're thinkin'. If I wanted to do that, I would've just left you in Greene's office."

Ellie hesitate for a moment, but she couldn't help herself. "You promise?" she finally asked.

Dally laughed again. "Yeah, I promise. You know," he added after a moment, "I only do that kind of shit with Shepard. If I were stuck in here with Curly, you'd better believe I'd drop his ass and run."

She tried to bite her tongue, but the words came spilling out anyway.

"You sure you ain't gonna do that to me 'cause I'm dating Tim?" she asked, wanting to slap herself in the forehead for asking.

"Dollface, where in the hell would that get me? I ain't aimin' to settle no score with you," he said, glancing out the window again.

Ellie leaned against the leg of the desk, resting her head on the leg of the teacher's chair. Even if it wasn't the ideal situation, it was nice to be back on speaking terms with Dally. "Thanks for getting us out of here."

"Don't thank me for anything just yet," he said. He sounded closer to her than he was before and she peeked out from under the desk to find him standing there. "The guys are outside. I can't see any cops or anything, but we better go now."

She made her way out from under the desk and Dally opened the window quietly and slowly. Ellie looked outside to find Two-Bit and Johnny at the edge of the school's lawn, standing near the trees. They were both gesturing for them to get out of the building.

"Okay, kid," Dally drawled with a grin. "How fast can you run?"

"Fast enough, I guess," she replied quietly, trying to keep her nerves from drifting into her words.

"Once you get out there, run no matter what," he advised her. "Even if the cops are yelling at you, ain't no way they're gonna catch up with you the way they run. They probably don't even know who you are, so it ain't like they're gonna come lookin' for you."

Ellie tried to ignore the fact that she could potentially be running from the cops like a fugitive, and focused on getting her feet firmly on the ground. Half the guys she knew ran from the cops on a weekly basis. Why was she so worried? She was certainly glad she had decided to wear her cropped jeans instead of a skirt. That would have made it a lot more difficult to get out of the window, much less run from the police.

Dally was surprisingly careful when he helped her out the window and lowered her onto the ground. As soon as her feet hit the ground, he told her to run. As though she needed the instruction.

"Hurry up!" Two-Bit hissed.

Ellie kept her eyes on him and ignored any other noises she heard. She felt like she was going to shake right out of her shoes before she made it to him and Johnny, but suddenly she was there and there wasn't anyone behind her.

"Exciting, isn't it?" Two-Bit asked, a thrilled glint in his eye. Ellie gave him a contemptible look and just shook her head.

"Where's everybody else?" Ellie whispered to Johnny.

"They all got out," he assured her. "We're gonna meet 'em at the corner of 5th and Sandusky when we all get outta here."

"Where are the fuzz?"

"Last we saw, they were heading towards the gymnasium. They were still outside when we saw them, so maybe they'll give up when they can't find anybody."

"What about that window Two-Bit broke?" Ellie asked.

"Shit, that's where my jacket is," Two-Bit said. "I couldn't remember where it was. Dal can grab it when he heads this way."

He said it so casually and with so little concern for the situation at hand, Ellie almost ignored the beams of light coming around the corner of the building. Dally was walking toward him, his gait as cocky as ever, and neither Ellie, Johnny, or Two-Bit could even warn him about the fuzz behind him. Ellie tried to open her mouth to form some kind of warning, but Two-Bit grabbed her arm before she could even think of what she would say, and started pulling her away from their hiding place under the trees toward the main road.

"C'mon!" he hissed, tugging on both her and Johnny.

Ellie's feet were moving before she could even think about what she was doing. She had no choice but to run alongside the other two, but she didn't hesitate to look over her shoulder. She looked back just in time to see the first cop catch up to a surprised Dally. From the corner of her eye, she saw a second officer spot them and jog towards them as fast as he could. They already had a hell of a headstart, but being spotted was enough of a reminder of the seriousness of the situation, and the three of them sped up. She couldn't help but risk another glance back to see Dally already laying on the ground, the knee of the cop in his back. The beam of the flashlight flickered around the ground as the cop fumbled for handcuffs, and Ellie had to do a double take to see Dally grinning.

By the time they were a block away from Sandusky, the second cop had already given up and Two-Bit, Ellie and Johnny were home free.

Two-Bit cackled loudly as they ran across the street. "Man, that was a close one."

"What d'you mean 'close'?" Ellie hissed. "They got Dally."

He only shrugged it off. "Dal won't mind. He wouldn't be able to see the prank tomorrow anyway, so we ain't losin' anybody."

Ellie just shook her head at Two-Bit's logic. "He still got arrested for something we all did."

"And we'd all do the same for him, wouldn't we?" Johnny asked, grinning through the bruises still lingering on his face.

She couldn't exactly disagree. After all this time, this was what it took to prove that they were still friends. It was twisted logic, but it made about as much sense as everything else did in her life.

_You can make a break, you can win or lose  
__That's a chance you take when the heat's on you_

_A/N: Dally and Ellie are finally getting back into the friend zone. It took them long enough, do you think they'll ruin that in TWO chapters? Or will they be okay ... for the time being?_


	42. School's Out

**Disclaimer: We do not own Susie Hinton's characters or Alice Cooper's song, "School's Out."**

**Nor do we encourage pranks of any kind (unless the people really, really deserve it).**

* * *

_Well we got no choice  
All the girls and boys  
Makin' all that noise_

It was the day of the prank and Ellie's first day back from her much-talked about suspension. She knew everyone had kept it the topic of conversation because by the time she made it from the parking lot to her locker, every person seemed to keep their eyes trained on her.

Now, she stood at her locker, staring in disbelief. A lone bottle of syrup stared back at her. She all but jumped out of her skin when a heavy hand fell on her shoulder.

"Whoa, easy there, babe," Curly said as she spun around. "Ready for your 'Welcome Back' prank?"

"What is _this_ doing in here?" she hissed, leaving her locker open just wide enough for him to see.

Curly shrugged, either unconcerned or oblivious to Ellie's panic. "Musta missed that one last night when we were taking everything down to the auditorium. It was dark."

"I can't keep it in my locker," she nearly shrieked. "Not after what I did to Greene's office and definitely not after the assembly!"

"So throw it away. Problem solved," Curly said simply.

She watched in horror as he reached for the bottle. She shut the locker door, catching his arm and hearing the bottle tip over and hit the inside of the locker with a sharp crack.

"What the hell?" Curly demanded, pulling his arm back.

"What are you doing? I can't carry a bottle of syrup around the school without attracting attention and without word getting back to Greene. He would get me kicked out!"

"Calm down," Curly suggested, obviously amused by the situation and the reaction it was bringing out in Ellie. At that moment he seemed like the exact opposite of Tim. "Are you always this high-strung?"

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "No," she finally said, indignantly. "But the possibility of expulsion seems to bring out the best in me."

"You mean the worst," Curly said. He glanced down at the bottom of her locker. "You better get that cleaned up if you don't want anybody expelling you."

She looked down to see a small amount of syrup drip from the top of her textbooks onto the floor of the hallway.

"Curly!" she hissed as he started to walk away. "Help me out here!"

He seemed to hesitate, like he was enjoying watching her squirm. He finally handed her a handkerchief from his back pocket.

"Just shut your locker and it'll be fine," he told her calmly. "You worry too much. Plus you're gonna be late. Wouldn't want that on your first day back, would you?"

After an internal debate, Ellie finally decided to leave her syrup covered history book in her locker and go to class unprepared. That would probably attract less attention than leaving a trail of syrup leading right to her.

Curly walked alongside her for a few moments before he seemed to grow uncomfortable in the silence. "You're gonna worry about that all day long, aren't you?"

"Well, if you guys would've been more careful last night, I wouldn't have to worry at all, would I?" she retorted.

Curly shrugged at her, a smirk on his face. He was clearly pleased by the fact that he was getting a rise out of her.

"Maybe you shouldn't have freaked out and messed up Greene's office," he responded. "Word has it he's on the war path trying to find who destroyed his 1932 game ball."

Ellie's face flushed. In hindsight, she should have just stuck with the guys. If he found out it was her, she would never set foot in Will Rogers ever again.

"You really want to give the old man a heart attack, don't you?" Curly asked with a laugh.

"Oh, God," she groaned to herself.

"Quit worryin' about it so much, kid," he continued. "I just wish I would thought of it first."

She rolled her eyes. Of course that would be his main concern.

"Oh, I almost forgot to tell you," Curly went on. "Two-Bit's letting me and Rick drop the shit on the Socs at the assembly today."

"He's _letting_ you?" Ellie asked in surprise. Two-Bit's only regret, as he explained it after Curly and Rick split the night before, was that two of them had to be backstage during the assembly in order to dump the buckets. It was essentially a suicide mission because there was no way they wouldn't get caught. He promised he would figure something out, and apparently he did.

"Yeah," Curly said. "It took a lot of convincing, but we finally talked him into it this morning."

"I bet it did," she murmured.

They reached the second floor of the high school and were heading down the history hall when Ellie came to a sudden halt. Curly went a few steps before realizing she was no longer beside him.

"You scared stiff all of a sudden?" he asked.

Ellie shook her head and kept her eyes away from the Socs gathered near the water fountain near her classroom. Curly caught on quicker than she expected.

"Hey, ain't that the one _you _jumped?" he asked loudly, knowing full and well that it was.

Ellie stole a glance in that direction to find all of them staring back and Michael glaring at her.

"C'mon, Curly," she said, giving his arm a tug to get him to walk faster. She wasn't all that surprised when it didn't work.

"Hey, Holden," Curly called with a laugh, "didn't this little broad take you down in front of everybody a couple weeks ago? Shouldn't you wear your football gear at all times, just in case it happens again?"

Before there was time for them to respond, the warning bell sounded and Ellie managed to move Curly along with some difficulty. She was pleased to see the other boys move along too with Michael leading the way. Maybe she made more of an impact than she first thought.

"Impressive," Curly muttered, clearly noting the same observation.

Ellie paused when they reached the doorway of Leery's room.

"Don't you have class now?"

"No. Well," he amended, "I've got Algebra, but it's with Miss Mullins. She's about as high-strung as you are so we've got this unspoken agreement where I don't come to class and she don't have a heart attack."

"Well," Ellie said with a sigh, "Leery will have a heart attack if I'm late, so I'll see you later."

"Alright," he said. He gave her a wink. "See you for the big show."

_School's out for the summer,  
__School's out forever_

Ellie was about to breathe a sigh of relief when history was almost over and the only trouble she had gotten in was from Leery for not having her book with her. That was when the call came over the PA system.

"Will the following students," the nasally voice of the secretary cried into the microphone, "please report to the principal's office immediately: Mary-Ellen Oates, Ella O'Hare and John Oliver. Thank you."

Ellie's stomach plummeted as Leery glanced at her over his glasses and the other students snickered at her. She gathered her books and slowly made her way out of the room.

The walk to the principal's office was one of the longest walks she had ever made, and yet she was there before she was prepared.

She recognized the other two students who were already waiting outside the front office but only because their lockers were on either side of hers. She knew what that meant and she wondered if it was too late to run for the doors.

"Ms. O'Hare," Greene bellowed before she could move. "So nice of you to join us after your suspension. I hope I don't have cause to suspend you again, this close to summer."

"No, Sir," she said, putting up a brave front. She wasn't going down without a fight this time.

"Yes, well, we'll see about that," he muttered. "I need to have a look in your lockers, please."

John and Mary-Ellen seemed terrified at being called down to the office. Ellie felt like she had the upper hand by knowing what he was looking for. She wondered if that made her look more guilty. As they approached their lockers, she tried to have the appropriate amount of confusion on her face at the sight of syrup puddling in front of their three lockers. She didn't have to feign confusion, however, when she noticed there wasn't anything leaking from her locker specifically. There was just the puddle that had spread out on the floor.

"Mary-Ellen." Greene motioned towards her locker. The poor girl's hands were shaking as she did her combination. Her hand slipped and she had to do it over again. Ellie felt sorry for her being put in the middle of all of this, but she couldn't help but feel annoyed at her being so shaken. Mary-Ellen knew he wouldn't find anything to pin on her, whether or not she knew what he was looking for.

When the girl finally got the combination right after the third or fourth try, it confirmed what Ellie already knew and what Greene seemed to suspect. Her locker was tidy and clean with nothing suspicious inside.

"Thank you, Ms. Oates," Greene said graciously, glancing at Ellie from the corner of his eye. He knew exactly who the perpetrator was and he was just waiting for her to squirm. "You may go back to class."

Poor, nervous Mary-Ellen scurried back down the hall, and for a short moment, Ellie envied her. Even if she only knew her from having a locker beside the girl and even if the girl was weird and occasionally mumbled to herself about who knows what, she had probably never been in trouble a day in her stupid, boring life. That was the moment Ellie realized she had been Mary-Ellen nine short months before. She had changed - that much was undeniable - but Ellie wasn't sure she regretted that. After all, in a few hours, she would be watching the single greatest prank in all of Will Rogers High. No matter what Greene found in her locker - and he would find it, there was no doubt about that - she had to find a way out of it. She was not missing the seniors' farewell assembly.

"Mr. Oliver," Greene said, motioning to his locker. "If you don't mind."

"I don't know that I understand what you're looking for," John said slowly, clearly stalling.

"Then I will let you know if I find it," the principal replied.

John spun the combination and opened his locker. Ellie immediately understood his reluctance when Greene plucked a magazine photo out of his locker that was much too obscene for school grounds. Other than that, he locker was also clear of anything suspicious.

Crumpling up the nudie magazine picture- Ellie had to turn her head to avoid laughing at John Oliver, now red-faced and embarrassed - Greene dismissed him too.

"And then there was one," Greene said, turning to Ellie. "If you don't mind."

"No, sir," she said, spinning her combination smoothly. "Not at all."

She stepped back so he could get a good look in her locker. She was just as surprised as he was when the door opened further and there was nothing there.

"Would you mind explaining this to me?" Greene finally choked out.

Ellie was equally flustered but tried her damnedest not to show it. "I don't know what you want me to explain. If it's because there aren't books in my locker, it's because I took them home during my suspension so I could study, and I was in a rush this morning to make it to school on time and I forgot them on the kitchen table." She was slightly floored by the ease in which she lied anymore.

"That is _not_ what I want you to explain," he said, his face growing red. "I want you to explain the puddle of syrup in front of your locker, as well as the state my office is in!"

"Sir, I wouldn't know anything about that," Ellie said, keeping her cool surprisingly well. Maybe it was because there was so much on the line, or maybe it was because it was just that funny to see Greene beside himself. "I've been suspended for the last two weeks for, well, you remember what for. I don't know what happened to your office or where this mess came from, but I can go to the restroom and get some towels to clean it up if you would like. Other than that, I don't know what to say. Sir," she added as an afterthought.

"I do not want you to clean it up, I want an explanation!" he roared.

Ellie was surprised by his utter outrage, but she had no other options. "I'm afraid I have none for you, sir. I've been on suspension for two weeks, and if someone has been in my locker or using it to store something silly like syrup, then I wouldn't know anything about that, would I?"

"Get out of my sight and back to your classroom, O'Hare," he growled through clenched teeth. "There is one week of school left and if you so much as look the wrong way, you're out of here, got it?"

"Uh, yes, Sir," she said, trying to combine the right amount of shock, confusion and obedience together. "I hope you find whoever did this."

"Class! Now!" he shouted loud enough for her to jump.

She spun on her heel and headed down the hall. She was around the corner and in front of the boys' bathroom when the door swung open and Two-Bit stepped out with a grin on his face.

"Howdy, troublemaker," he greeted her. He motioned for her to follow him into the northeast stairwell. "That was a mighty fine performance you gave back there."

"Did you clean out my locker?" she asked, beginning to feel the shock of what just happened.

Two-Bit shrugged nonchalantly and brushed his nail along his shirt. "I may have run into Curly while we were both skipping first period and he may have told me about a pesky bottle of syrup we missed last night. Maybe."

Ellie couldn't help the wave of relief that rushed over her. She threw her arms around Two-Bit's neck. "Thank you! Thank you so much! I would have been dead meat for sure if he found that."

"Easy there, kiddo," he said. "We ain't outta the woods yet. Pretty darn close, but not quite."

Ellie released him from the hug. "Curly told me you were 'letting' him and Rick pull the ropes at the assembly."

"Yeah," he said, nodding solemnly. "It kills me that they're going to get most of the credit for this one."

"Most?" she asked.

He cocked an eyebrow. "Do you really think anyone will believe _Curly Shepard _and _Rick Bradley_ came up with something so brilliant on their own? Not a chance. They'll still get most of the credit, though, the little shits."

"I kind of feel bad Curly's going to get in so much trouble after he helped me out today."

"Don't worry about it, El," he said as the bell rang and students began to flood out of the classrooms and into the stairwell. "He'll be happy to take the fall and be the big hero. And all we gotta do is sit back and laugh. It pays to be the smart ones."

"They could still hightail it outta there," she said, trying to remember the backstage layout.

"Yeeeah," Two-Bit drug out," they could, but they'd have to move awfully fast."

_No more pencils,  
__No more books  
__No more teacher's dirty looks_

The whole room was buzzing with excitement. Kids were excited to get out of class early for an assembly and seniors were buzzing because it was their last full day of school before graduation. Two-Bit had gone to the auditorium early to save seats so close to the front that Ellie had a hard time keeping the grin off of her face. Steve and Pony helped sneak Johnny in and Two-Bit ushered all of them into the seats he'd saved, which happened to be just behind the senior section.

"I would've gotten seats a tad closer, but then we might be in the splash zone," he explained sitting down and propping his feet up on the seat in front of him. The girl sitting there turned around and gave him an icy glare.

"Ain't it kind of obvious that we're sittin' so close to the stage. Most greasers are sittin' in the back," Ponyboy pointed out, looking behind him.

Two-Bit waved him off and started talking to Johnny.

Ellie nudged Pony in the ribs and smiled. "Don't be so worried about it. You didn't do nothin'," she whispered.

"I know, I'm just thinkin' we should have sat further back," he said.

"You sound a lot like me," she said. "But Two-Bit's right. We gotta sit up close so we can see. Besides, Curly and Rick are gonna be the ones that get caught with it if anyone does. They're backstage and pullin' the ropes."

"You're really havin' fun with this, ain't you?" he asked, suddenly looking like he was having an ounce of fun. "You haven't been in this good a mood in awhile."

"That's 'cause she didn't get suspended again today," Two-Bit said, jumping in.

"You just got back!" Steve admonished.

"I know! Ain't it great?" she asked with a grin, settling back in her seat as the most popular senior boys and girls followed Mr. Greene onto the stage, Michael and Richard leading the pack. There were a couple middle-classers in the mix, but the vast majority were thorough-bred Socs. "Here we go."

It took Greene a few moments, but he got the whole student body to quiet down. He looked so angry standing up there, as though he was inconvenienced with the assembly interrupting his search to find whomever slathered his game ball like a pancake.

"Ladies and gentleman," he began, sounding as annoyed as he looked, "we're here today to honor the Will Rogers class of 1966 one last time as a full student body. I expect all of you to be attentive, supportive and act accordingly."

He scanned the crowd slowly, trying to demonstrate his seriousness. Ellie didn't flinch when he saw her and held her gaze for a few seconds.

"I'll turn it over to your senior class president, Teresa Kilgore," he said, moving back as a bubbly blonde preppy-type stepped up to the microphone.

Listening to Teresa speak was like getting a cavity from eating too much candy. She had something good to say about everything and everyone and it was getting old fast. Ellie could hear the greasers behind her making cat calls and whistling at Teresa, who would have probably just giggled and said how great they were, too. Paper airplanes and spitballs were flying over the first few rows with only a few making it as far as the stage.

Johnny leaned over to Two-Bit. "When are they doing it?"

Two-Bit's eyes were gleaming as he watched the stage in front of him. "Just as soon as Greene steps back up to the plate."

The waiting was absolutely horrendous. Ellie couldn't decide if she was nervous or just so incredibly excited to watch every single Soc on stage be made a fool of in front of everyone.

Teresa was wrapping up her speech about everyone being wonderful and fantastic and how they would all go on to do wonderful and fantastic things, and Ellie's legs were bouncing a mile a minute as she anxiously awaited the perfect moment. Two-Bit put a hand on her knee to keep her still.

"You keep that up and you're gonna bounce right outta your seat, kiddo," he said. "You're makin' me nervous."

Ellie gave him a curt nod and crossed one leg firmly over the other. That helped a little bit, but she was still antsy as Teresa gave the student body in front of her a huge smile, gathered her papers and practically danced back to the line of Socs standing a few feet behind the podium.

Greene stepped back to the podium and cleared his throat to get the audience's attention back. "Thank you for that inspiring speech, Teresa. I, along with the faculty of Will Rogers, present the top five young ladies chosen for Miss Senior, as well as the top five young men chosen for Boy of the Year. In a moment, I will announce the winner in both categories, but before that, will you please all step forward to accept this recognition from your fellow classmates?"

As all ten students stepped forward, lining up on either side of Principal Greene, Two-Bit leaned back in his seat and feigned a stretch, covering his mouth with a hand as he faked a yawn. He whistled long and low, then ended in a high note. It was a whistle Ellie recognized from the few times she had been around Tim when members of his gang showed up. She tore her eyes away from Two-Bit and looked back at the stage in time to see the auditorium sky open up and a thick, brown rain of syrup begin pouring on eleven unsuspecting people. The boys had rigged the buckets to fall to the side, so as to coat the entire line of students with the first on either side get the worst, Greene ending up with only splatters of sticky syrup on his suit.

Ellie covered her mouth with her hand to keep from laughing out loud as the syrup streamed down the line of Socs. She genuinely felt bad for the two middle-class boys that were caught in the middle of the prank, but they were at the furthest end of the stage and were the least of the targets. Michael was directly on Greene's left with Richard Vinson standing in shock beside him. Teresa was on Greene's right, with Richard's sister Sharon next to her.

Two-Bit leaned over to Ellie. "I told you I was plannin' something for Vinson's sister. It's gonna take her ages to get that stuff outta her curls."

Ellie joined in Two-Bit's laughing, along with every other greaser in the room and most middle-class students, too. The ruckus amplified when white feathers fluttered down from above and stuck to every inch of syrup-covered seniors below.

"Enough!" Greene roared into the mic. He sounded angry enough, but it was hard for anyone to take him seriously with feathers sticking to the syrup stains on his shoulders and in his hair. He was drowned out by the laughter of the audience, the swearing of the three Socs on stage and the horrified shrieks of the senior girls, already trying to pick feathers out of their hair. A few looked like they were even in tears, while one of the middle-class boys seemed to think it was as funny as everyone else did.

"You're a genius, Two-Bit," Ellie said over the roar of the crowd. "Thanks."

He only replied with a huge grin as he stood up and started bowing to the roaring crowd. She looked at Ponyboy, who was staring at Two-Bit wide eyed but with a huge smile on his face. Students and faculty were all over the place, standing, running, shouting at each other. Biting her lip, Ellie stood up and started to wave at the crowd. So few people actually noticed her doing so, but it felt good to attempt to take credit for what just happened. Two-Bit clamped his hands on her shoulders, congratulatory.

Even if only a few people noticed, she knew that the ones that needed to did. Ellie hadn't felt so good in a long time.

_Well, we got no class,  
__And we got no principles,  
__And we got no innocence._

* * *

A/N: Typical Socs, right? Always get away with everything, unless the greasers can help it. Oh well, life isn't always fair.


	43. Stuck in the Middle

_**Disclaimer: We do not own The Outsiders, Susie Hinton is the mastermind behind that wonderful novel. We also do not own the song "Stuck In the Middle" by Stealers Wheel.**_

_A/N: We've finally made it. This, ladies and gents, is the last chapter of Tender is the Night. Enjoy and thank you so much for all of your support!_

* * *

_Well you started out with nothing,  
__And you're proud that you're a self-made man._

There was an undeniable wave of victory floating through the air and it landed squarely on Ellie's shoulders. It had been the longest school year she'd ever been through, but she'd made it out no worse for wear. In fact, she felt like she was the one who won. Standing on the front steps of Will Rogers earlier, she was on the top of the world as people scurried around her. The last week of school was so much better than the first.

Sitting on the Curtises front porch, the house empty behind her, she soaked up the first rays of the summertime sun with her eyes closed. A whistle that ended in a high note begged them back open. Dallas was walking up the lawn toward her.

"They let you out?" she kidded, scooting over and making room for him on the step.

"They didn't have enough to charge me with. Findin' me on school grounds ain't proof I broke the windows," he said.

"It's _you_, though," she pointed out. "Ain't that judge smart enough to know better?"

"You'd think by now. But I'm pretty charmin' in court," he bragged.

She reached out and rubbed his head where the hair was shorn away. He batted it away.

"You're never charming," she told him.

"Sure I am," he corrected.

"Just when you want something," she said. "Even then most girls wouldn't count that as charm."

"What did Tim have to say about you seein' me in jail the other day?" he asked.

Ellie shrugged. Tim had driven her to the jail because she asked, but she'd never tell Dally how she could see him burn a little. She didn't think that Tim had the ability to be jealous, but she could see it on his face and in his actions as he drove her home that he was at least angry about it all. That urgency to beat Dally was as clear as it was the night of their first date.

"Nothin'," she lied.

"Sure," he said sarcastically. Then, motioning behind him, he asked, "No one home?"

Ellie shook her head. "Nope. I don't know where they all went, but they'd better be back 'fore long. We're supposed to go to the drive-in tonight. Remember?"

He nodded. "Yeah I remember."

"You goin'?" she asked, realizing she was hopeful he would. The whole gang wasn't all together that often and Ellie relished in the nights they all hung out. She just liked everyone being together and having a good time.

"Ain't got nothin' else to do," he confirmed, whipping a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket. He stuck one in his mouth and Ellie's eyes widened when he pulled out the lighter she'd given him for Christmas. Her mouth dropped open in surprise and she found herself reaching for it.

"I threw this away," she said, feeling the heft in her hand. She'd thrown it pretty far after he launched it at her head.

Dally merely shrugged. "Johnny found it and I took it back. Don't mean nothin'."

But it did mean something. As she ran her thumb over the deep scratches in the silver finish, she felt her stomach tie up in knots and then she tried to reason with reality. Dally didn't keep mementos, especially not of a relationship that didn't work out. But then again, he had come on to her more than once since they broke up.

"I guess not," she said as she handed it back.

He gave her the cigarette as he lit another and she puffed on it as they sat in silence.

"Guess what?" she asked, breaking the silence.

"I don't know," he answered, bored.

Ellie sighed and said quickly, "My mom's knocked up."

The subtle movements Dally was making suddenly froze and he turned his head and looked at her as though she told him a pig had flown across the sky. He looked disgusted.

"It's why I'm here and not over there," she explained slowly. "I came home from school the other day and there was this little pink sweater and booties sittin' on the kitchen table. Mom came in smilin' like an idiot and told me she's gonna have a baby."

The thought made her stomach hurt, especially because Ellie couldn't work up the nerve to kill her mother's happiness with the news that Jimmy was less than faithful. Though, Ellie didn't think it would matter. Her mom probably wouldn't even blink an eye at the news.

"Did you tell her?" he asked, speaking through the smoke he was exhaling.

That was a funny question for him to be asking.

"You mean about Jimmy?" she asked, knowing it had to be what he meant. "I couldn't do it. She was actually happy. I don't know if I've ever seen her that happy."

It struck her just then. That was the same excuse Two-Bit had used as to why he didn't tell her about Dally and Sylvia.

"She don't deserve that if she's so damn stupid," he said, bitterly. "They both treat you like shit. Why not give her a reason to throw him out on his ass?"

Ellie sighed. This was killing her good mood.

"She wouldn't do it," she said. "She doesn't have the same common sense I do."

Dally shot her a look that made her want to cower away, but she held her ground.

"I don't think it's common sense. It's more like you're just crazy," he said, clamping a hand on the back of her neck. He squeezed and shook her head playfully before letting go.

"I'm only crazy 'cause of you," she said, offering him a little smile. "Ever since we were kids. You've always driven' me out of my mind. I think you do it on purpose."

"No shit. You make it too easy, princess," he said, an impish smile on his face.

Ellie smiled and lifted her face as to soak up the sun again. She could live with the fact that he had hurt her at one point in time, but for the times like these, she didn't think that she could ever live without him. It was worth it to get over the ill feelings just to get back to normal, especially since so much had changed and so much was about to change. It felt good to be able to call him her friend again.

_It's so hard to keep this smile from my face,  
__Losing control, I'm all over the place_

The movie was lame and just plain stupid, and Dally wasn't the only one who felt that way. Soda and Steve looked so close to falling over in boredom and Two-Bit had gone to the concession stand a number of times in the last hour. Darry was sitting stiffly in the truck bed and to the surprise of no one, Pony, Johnny and Ellie were silently watching like their lives depended on it.

Nudging Soda, Dally motioned toward the three of them and Soda grinned and nudged Steve. There were two buckets of popcorn sitting in the truck bed and Dally leaned over and grabbed them, passing one down to Steve. Darry watched with a mild look of humor on his face. Silently counting to three, Dally and Steve dumped the half-empty buckets on Ellie and Pony's heads. The reaction was priceless.

Ellie shrieked and frantically started brushing kernels out of her hair. She glared at Dally, and he laughed at her. Pony looked annoyed, but he didn't put on the show Ellie was.

"What's wrong with you guys?" she complained.

"We're bored. Who the hell picked this movie?" Dally asked her.

"It's just what was playin'! But it's James Dean so quit ruinin' it for me," she demanded, throwing a handful of popcorn back at him.

Dally wasn't in the mood for a movie. He was more in the mood for pushing her buttons, but he didn't push the next one. Two-Bit must have been watching as he was heading back for the truck because he was sneaking up behind Ellie with a fresh bucket of popcorn. He motioned for everyone to be quiet as he crept up and dumped the entire bucket over her head.

Not even Johnny could contain his laughter as Ellie shrieked again, flailing her arms and trying to brush the popcorn out of her hair. She was fuming when she finally turned to see Two-Bit standing behind her with the empty bucket, laughing like a goon. She tried to reach out and slap him, but he was quicker and set the empty bucket on her head. She pulled it off and launched it at his head, missing completely as it sailed and hit the windshield of the car beside them.

"Don't hurt yourself, El," Two-Bit said, standing behind her and pulling pieces of popcorn out of her hair.

"You guys are mean," she said, seething.

"That was weak, El," Steve said.

"You're ruinin' the movie!"

Dally stared at the screen as James Dean was pushing his old man around on screen and then back at Ellie.

"This movie is about Socs," Dally told her.

"It is not," she defended.

"It is, too. But I guess you're kinda one nowadays anyway 'cause you listen to the Beatles and shit like that," he reached across and tugged on her skirt, which was longer than it had been, but still shorter than they were used to seeing in her in. She slapped his hand away. "Though, you're almost a floozy, too. I don't know what you are."

"You listen to what?" Two-Bit asked, leaning into the truck beside her. "You gotta be kiddin' me."

"So what?" she asked, annoyed.

"It don't get much Socier than the Beatles," Steve said. "Besides, that's chick music."

Her face scrunched up and she returned, "I am a chick and I like it."

"You a Soc then, too?" Dally asked, following what he saw was the natural progression. "You never did tell us why that prick did that to your face."

"Why are you even bringing that up right now?" she blasted.

"Because I wanna know why you protect that bastard. Dumping syrup on him don't make it right what he did to you. 'Fess up already," he ordered her.

She sat there, staring back at him with big eyes as everyone else tried to ignore their latest fight, but Dally could tell at least some of them wanted to know. It didn't take her long to stand up, a waterfall of popcorn falling off of her lap, and hop out of the truck.

"Way to go," Soda said.

"Shit, what'd I say?" Dally asked. He didn't think he'd pushed that far, but that was a broad for you - ready to cry at the drop of a hat.

"Is someone going after her?" Darry asked. He was watching her stomp toward the restrooms.

"I ain't dealin' with it. She on the rag or something?" Steve asked.

"Aww, give her a break. Everyone's always gangin' up on her," Two-Bit said, stuffing a handful of popcorn into his mouth.

"Yeah," Pony piped up. "You're makin' fun of her. And did you think that maybe she just doesn't want to talk about what happened? It was a long time ago. Give it up, Dally."

"I ain't the one keepin' secrets from everybody," he said.

He didn't realized everyone was staring at him until he lit up a cigarette.

"What?" he asked flatly.

"You pissed her off, go bring her back," Darry said.

Dally opened his mouth to protest but he was catching glances from everyone, including Johnny.

"Maybe she just wants to forget it happened, Dal," Johnny piped up. "You know who it was, ain't that enough?"

Grumbling, Dally hopped out of the truck to try and chase her down.

_Clowns to the left of me  
__Jokers to the right_

The girls' restroom was a popular place, and Ellie couldn't find a spot in front of the mirror to try and clean herself up. Fed up with trying to wait, she shoved her way past two Socy girls, one a fiery redhead who made a snide comment under her breath. Ellie shot her a glare and then preceded to pick pieces of popcorn out of her hair and off her clothes.

She knew she was making a big deal out of nothing, but as used to it as she was, sometimes she couldn't handle everyone ganging up on her at once. Dally insinuated that she was half-Soc and he didn't even know why Michael messed with her the way he did. In a way, Ellie was half-Soc and even though she knew no one would care, she was still scared of Dally's reaction if he ever found out Michael was her cousin. She couldn't imagine telling them who her dad was and getting shit for that. Like it was her fault or something.

Ellie looked over at the redhead and the gaggle of girls she was with. They were talking about some beer blast they were going to after the movie and checking their hair and expensive clothes in the mirror. Ellie knew she wasn't one of them and she couldn't even figure out how she could possibly even relate to them. And just like Dally, she held a certain degree of hate for them. It wasn't fair that they had everything she could never hope to have.

It was easier, though, to fit in with the girls on her side of the town just because she knew what they expected. She knew how they thought and between Tim and Dally, she always had something to say or some excuse to leave. They accepted her because she was competition, not because they were actually friends.

Heading back outside Ellie stopped short as she noticed Dally leaning against the light post illuminating the area.

Walking up to him, she crossed her arms and said, "I don't like you right now."

"What else is new?"

"I guess nothing," she said, deflated.

She flinched back as he reached out, pulling a kernel out of her hair.

"You missed one," he said, flicking it back in her face.

He was aggravating.

"We aint' stickin' around for the second movie. Steve and Soda are gonna go pick up their girls and Two-Bit wants to go hunt some action," he said. That was an open ended statement, almost as if he were inviting her along.

"Tim's picking me up from here," she said.

She tried to go past him, but he grabbed her and pulled her back. She was so tired of this cat-and-mouse game he enjoyed so much.

"What?" she huffed, but once again, being that close to him she was losing herself. His hands were hot through the sleeves of her shirt and he was standing closer than necessary. How could he still have that effect on her with everything he had done to her?

"Why are you so touchy right now?" he asked. "What'd I say this time?"

She sucked in a breath, trying to wait him out.

"Ellie ... what?"

Ellie opened her mouth, the confession sitting heavy on her tongue, but the words wouldn't come out. His hands were still wrapped around her arms, keeping her in place until she said something he wanted to hear.

"Just tell me already," he said, impatient but an unmistakable thread of eagerness in his tone. He knew there was something she wasn't saying. It was something he only thought he wanted to hear.

"Tell you what?" she asked, trying to play dumb.

"You're always hidin' shit. You always avoid the fuckin' question of why Holden messed with you. I want to know why."

If she told him, about everything, she didn't know what to expect from him. He would explode, but she was afraid that he might not speak to her again. He wouldn't understand which was one reason she didn't tell him in the first place.

"How would that make any difference now?" she asked. "He messed with me, he hurt me. Okay? He was looking for kicks, I don't know," she started rambling, hoping to say something that would satisfy him. But he was an enigma. For someone that didn't give a damn about the world or what happened in it, he couldn't let it go when someone got too close to the things he cared about. Not knowing the full story was eating him alive and she knew it was just because he was always after an answer.

He cupped her cheek, his thumb roughly tracing the scar. She tried to pull it away, but he held it there.

"Why did he fucking do that?"

"Because ... Because -"

The words just wouldn't come, but it didn't matter because they were interrupted.

"Wanna get your hands off of her, Winston?"

Dally let go of her arms where he was holding it and Ellie stayed where she was and watched as Tim evaluated the situation. Her arms felt burnt where he'd been holding them. She felt dizzy.

"What the hell do you want?" Dally spat.

"My girlfriend," Tim said, simply.

"Yeah, well, we're busy. Come back later," Dally challenged.

"Fuck off, Winston. She ain't yours no more," Tim returned.

Ellie sensed the escape and she moved to Tim's side.

"Are you gonna tell me or not?" Dally asked in a bitter tone.

She looked at him, standing there fumbling with a pack of cigarettes. He didn't need to know and as long as he didn't, the truth wouldn't hurt either of them. She didn't need to give him one more reason to hate the world.

"It's nothing," she lied.

"Sure, babe. Are you gonna tell Timmy your big secret?"

Tim hesitated beside her and Ellie's stomach sank. She looked at him from the corner of her eye and caught him looking right at her. He said nothing.

"There is no big secret," she said, trying to sound confident. "Things just happened."

"Easy to say now that he's gone, huh?" Dally said.

She couldn't fault him for caring, even if his methods weren't conventional. Her mother didn't spend this much time trying to get to the bottom of it.

"I'm sorry," she mouthed to him, not wanting Tim to hear it.

He just stared at her, smoking like a chimney and looking as though he was going to say something that had the potential to hurt her in some way. It's what he always did because it was all he could do anymore.

And this was what she was doing to him. Tim's hand curled around hers and she followed him, feeling that magnetic pull behind her. She didn't understand how he still had that power over her with everything he'd done. She didn't think she would ever understand.

Swallowing those feelings, she followed Tim to his car and tried to leave it all behind her.

_Here I am,  
__Stuck in the middle with you._

__

A/N: *Insert evil laugh here*

Don't fret, Dally, Tim and Ellie can't possbily end their story here. Remember that Front Page Drive In News is still in progress and a sequel is being planned for Tender. It will take place during the novel and will include the aftermath and will be called **One Headlight.** There will be more information on this later.

We would like to thank everyone who reviewed and kept reading during our sporadic updates. We never, ever expected this story to go over as well as it did and we thank all of you for keeping us inspired to finish our first fanfic and to keep us writing. We never could have done it without your support.

Thank you for reading!

xoxox

Katie and Kori


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